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ATONEMENT 

THE   FUNDAMENTAL  FACT  OF 
CHRISTIANITY 


ATONEMENT,/^ 


THE  FUNDAMENTAL  FACT  OF 
CHRISTIANITY 


NEWMAN    HALL,   LL.B.;    D.D.  (Edin.) 

come  to  jesus,    '  the  ix>i 
'gethsemane,'  etc.,  etc. 


V  .  .  . 

AOTHOR  OP   'come  TO  JESUS,     '  THE  LORDS  PSAYSEL 


'  We  preach  Chtist  crucified' 


FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 

New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

The  Religious  Traci  Society  London 


C^  carton  (prew 

'7'«  '73  Macdougal  Street,  New  York 


CONTENTS 


MUIE 

CHAF. 


Preface 


7 


I.    The  Offence  of  the  Cross      ...»  9 

II,    Atonement  more  than  Moral  Influence     .  14 

III.  Jewish  Sacrifices *^ 

IV.  Prophecy *3 

V.    John  the  Baptist '^ 

VI.    The  Words  of  Jksus 33 

Vn.    The  Sufferings  of  Jesus 39 

VIII.    The  Apostle  Peter 4° 

IX.    The  Apostle  John •  6» 

X.    The  Apostle  James 6^ 

XL    The  Apostle  Paul "^ 

XII.    The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  .       .       .       •  7* 

XIII.  The  Apostles  as  a  Whole       ...»  77 

XIV.  Theory  of  the  Atonement      .       .       •       •  83 

XV.  Misrepresentations  and  Objections       .       .  92 
XVI.    Atonement  a  Power  for  Purity     .       .        .121 

XVIL    Justification  and  Sanctification  .       .       .130 

XVllL    The  Witness  of  Experience    .       .       .       •  i37 

Index     ,       .       •       • 'S^ 


PREFACE 


The  study  of  the  Bible  and  the  personal  experience 
of  sixty  years,  more  than  fifty  of  which  have  been  spent 
in  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  have  convinced  me  with 
a  constantly  increasing  assurance,  that  salvation  through 
the  Atoning  Sacrifice  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  not 
merely  an  important,  but  the  essential  and  characteristic 
feature  of  Christianity— nay,  more,  its  Fundamental  Fact. 
This  has  been  interwoven  with  every  sermon  I  have 
preached,  and  every  book  I  have  written,  from  Come  to 
Jesus  to  my  Jubilee  volume.  Divine  Brotherhood. 

At  the  time  when  the  views  of  the  Rev.  Frederick 
Maurice  seemed  likely  to  unsettle  the  faith  of  some, 
I  selected  as  the  subject  of  my  sermon  at  the  anni- 
versary of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  in  1856,  the 
great  theme  of  our  Missionaries  to  the  Heathen — 'We 
preach  Christ  crucified.'  The  sermon,  published  under 
the  title  ol  SacrtJice,or  Pardon  and  Purity  through  the 
Cross,  has  been  many  years  out  of  print.  Opinions 
expressed  in  some  pulpits  and  periodicals  of  the  present 
day  have  convinced  me  that  there  is  more  need  now 
than  formerly  for  presenting  this  truth  free  from  exag- 
gerated or  inadequate  statements,  with  replies  to  mis- 
representations and  objections.  I  therefore  resolved  to 
re-write  my  booklet.  But  during  two  years,  the  leisure 
of  which  has  been  devoted  to  the  congenial  task,  further 


8  PREFACE. 

study  of  Scripture  and  careful  reading  of  recent  volumes 
on  the  same  subject  have  resulted  in  this  little  book,  the 
object  of  which  is  to  present  the  subject  in  a  simple, 
condensed,  and  popular  form,  so  as  to  assist  in  its  study 
those  who  have  not  access  to  more  learned  and  elaborate 
works,  or  leisure  for  the  perusal  of  them. 

Among  such  works,  to  which  more  or  less  I  gratefully 
record  my  obligation  for  valuable  suggestions,  and  for 
conscious  quotations  which  in  every  case  I  have  dis- 
tinctly acknowledged,  are  the  following : — 

^      The  Nature  of  the  Atonement.  John  M'Leod  Campbell,  D.D., 

-2  1856.     The  Atonement :  its  Relation  to  Pardon,  EaocH  Mellor, 

^  D.D.,  1859.     Chr^'st  and  His  Salvation,  HORACE  BUSHNELL,  D.D., 

^    1871.     Johnthe    Baptist  (Congregational   Lecture),   Henry  R. 

V    Reynolds,  "D.D.,  President  of  Cheshunt  College,  1874.     Forgive- 

^•^  riess  and  Law,  Horace  Bushnell,  D.D.,  1874.     The  Atonement: 

.    in  ihe  light  oj Modem  Difficulties  (Hulsean  Lectures  foTiSSs,  1884), 

"4*  Rev.  J.  J.  Lias,  M.A.,  1884.    Doctrine  of  the  Atonement,  Professor 


7  Lewis  Edwards,  D.D.,  1886.  Doctrine  of  Holy  Scripture  respect- 
••  ing  the  Atonement,  Prof.  T.  J.  CRAWFORD,  D.D.,  1888.  The 
Q  Redemption  of  Man,  Prof.  D.  W.  SiMON,  Ph.D.,  1889.  The  Atone- 
J  .m4nt,  W.  U.  Magee,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  York,  1889.  The  Scrip- 
•'  0  tural  Doctrine  of  Sacrifice  and  Atonement,  Principal  Alfred  Cave, 
'  /  D.D.,  1890  :  and  especially  The  Atonement  (Congregational  Lecture 
I   l/or  1875),  8vo.  and  thirteen th^ESTcrown  8vo.,  R-  W.  Dale,  D.D., 


May  the  blessing  of  the  ever-living  Propitiation  attend 
this  humble  contribution  to  the  great  work  of  strengthen- 
ing intelligent  belief  in  a  doctrine  which  I  increasingly  feel 
to  be  the  *  Fundamental  Fact  of  Christianity.' 


C7>. 


S/ 


'^ 


ATONEMENT: 

THE   FUNDAMENTAL    FACT   OF 
CHRISTIANITY. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  OFFENCE  OF  THE  CROSS. 

'Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified,'  was  the 
theme  of  the  first  Missionary  of  the  Gospel  to 
Europe. 

The  world  was  in  a  state  of  moral  stagnation. 
Judaism,  divinely  ordained,  having  fulfilled  its  pur- 
pose, had  become  shell  without  kernel,  body  with- 
out life.  Philosophy  might  be  beautiful,  but  was 
powerless  to  purify.  St.  Paul,  coming  over  from 
Asia  to  preach  to  Europe,  proclaimed  salvation 
for  a  ruined  world  through  a  Man  who  had  been 
crucified  as  a  malefactor,  but  whom  the  missionary 
afiirmed  to  be  the  Son  of  God  and  the  only 
Saviour.  He  asserted,  not  simply  that  this  Bene- 
factor had  suff'ered  martyrdom,  but  that  this  mar- 
tyrdom was  the  grand  object  for  which  He  lived, 


lO  ATONEMENT 

by  which  alone  salvation  was  secured,  without 
which  mental  culture,  philosophy,  ethics,  cult,  or 
creed  could  not  avail  to  save  mankind  from  sin,  and 
give  assurance  of  the  favour  of  God  and  eternal 
life. 

Jews,  who  were  dwelling  in  every  city,  and  to 
whom  the  missionary,  as  a  Jew,  made  his  first 
appeal,  were  offended  by  being  told  to  recognise 
their  promised  Messiah  in  a  poor  mechanic,  trained 
at  no  college,  invested  with  no  dignity,  His  chief 
followers  poor  fishermen,  and  Himself  put  to  the 
most  shameful  death  as  a  felon.  That  by  Him 
alone,  and  not  by  their  own  Law  of  Moses,  they 
could  be  saved,  was  to  them  a  '  stumbling-block.' 

The  Jews  'required  a  sign';  a  miracle  so  stu- 
pendous as  to  forbid  all  doubt.  Their  old  religion 
had  been  thus  certified.  Christ  performed  many 
quiet  miracles  of  benevolence  on  earth,  but  they 
demanded  a  'sign  from  heaven.'  When  He  fed 
the  multitudes  and  raised  Lazarus  they  thought 
that  as  a  Leader  He  might  supply  His  armies  with 
food,  heal  the  wounded,  and  restore  the  slain. 
Then  they  wanted  to  make  Him  their  king.  But 
when  He  meekly  submitted  to  be  bound  and 
condemned,  they  were  disappointed,  and  in  their 
provocation  shouted, '  Crucify  Him ! '  They  wanted 
a  carnal  Christ,  a  worldly  king :  and  so  the  cross 
became  a  symbol  of  delusion,  disgrace,  defeat, — 
*a  stumbling-block.' 

Not  less  did  it  appear  'to  the  Greek  foolishness.' 


THE  OFFENCE  OF  THE  CROSS       II 

They  despised  the  Jews  as  a  petty,  bigoted,  ex- 
clusive, troublesome  tribe  of  barbarians,  in  a  narrow 
strip  of  country,  lost  to  view  in  the  great  Empire 
that  ruled  them.  That  a  peasant  member  of  this 
despised  race  was  to  be  accepted  by  them  as  supe- 
rior to  their  own  Plato  or  Socrates,  be  honoured 
as  Ruler  as  well  as  Teacher,  be  trusted  as  sole 
Saviour  of  men,  and  worshipped  as  the  one  and 
only  true  incarnation  of  the  Deity — this,  to  the 
Greek,  was  the  extravagance  of '  foolishness.' 

Earliest  records  tell  us  that  the  people  generally 
accounted  those  to  be  '  fools  who  gave  rank  to  One 
crucified.'  They  said  that  *  they  who  worshipped 
a  crucified  man  deserved  to  hang  on  the  cross  they 
adore.'  In  Rome  is  a  fragment  of  plaster  from 
the  ruins  of  the  barracks  of  the  Praetorian  guard 
which  bears  traces  of  a  rough  caricature,  as  if 
scratched  by  the  point  of  a  sword.  On  a  cross  is 
suspended  the  figure  of  a  man  with  the  head  of  an 
ass,  before  which  a  soldier  is  on  his  knees ;  and 
below  is  the  inscription,  *  Aleximenos  worships  his 
god.' 

The  Apostolic  Missionary  was  sober  in  his  en- 
thusiasm, and  did  not  needlessly  provoke  oppo- 
sition. 'I  am  become  all  things  to  all  men,  that 
I  may  by  all  means  save  some '  (i  Cor.  ix.  20-22). 
Unless  essential  to  his  mission,  he  would  not  em- 
phasize what  was  likely  to  hinder  it,  and  close  the 
ears  of  those  he  came  to  teach.  Did  he  therefore 
keep  the   fact  of  the  Atoning   Sacrifice   in   the 


I  a  ATONEMENT 

background,  or  reserve  it  for  future  unfolding?  On 
the  contrary,  he  made  it  prominent,  and  at  once. 
It  was  his  dominant  theme,  the  message  he  felt 
directed  by  God  to  convey.  Men  might  deride, 
oppose,  persecute,  but  all  the  more  boldly  he  pro- 
claimed it,  emblazoned  it  on  his  standard,  gave  it 
trumpet-voice,  declaring  to  the  cultured  Corinth- 
ians, '  I  determined  not  to  know  anything  among 
you,  save  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified'  (i  Cor. 
ii.  2).  This  was  his  boast,  not  his  shame.  '  Far  be 
it  from  me  to  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ '  (Gal.  vi.  14).  The  Jews  might  demand 
celestial  signs,  and  the  Greeks  worldly  wisdom,  but 
he  was  determined  to  '  preach  Christ  crucified, — 
Christ  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God  * 
(i  Cor.  i.  22-25). 

History,  lauding  its  heroes  of  freedom,  science, 
and  religion,  has  taught  us  to  honour  rather  than 
be  ashamed  of  those  who  have  endured  suffering 
and  scorn  for  the  sake  of  principle.  But  that  God, 
incarnated,  should  stoop  so  low ;  that  nothing  less 
than  the  cross  should  suffice  for  man's  salvation ; 
that  all  classes  should  be  placed  on  a  common 
level,  needing  the  same  Atonement,  by  which  the 
most  degraded  criminal  will  be  accepted,  side  by 
side  with  the  seemingly  blameless  religionist,  on 
repentance  and  faith;  and  that  whatever  we  do 
that  is  commendable  is  accepted  on  the  basis  of 
what  Christ  did  and  suffered — this  is  too  humbling 
for  human  pride. 


THE  OFFENCE  OF  THE  CROSS  13 

As  breakers  of  law  we  are  disposed  to  under-rate 
the  claims  of  law.  Sinners  naturally  make  light  of 
sin,  framing  excuses  for  it,  sometimes  defending  it, 
lessening  the  peril  of  it,  or  altogether  denying  both 
its  guilt  and  penalty.  *  The  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ/  revealed  in  His  sufferings  on  our  behalf, 
imply  a  destitution  on  our  part  greater  than  we  are 
willing  to  acknowledge.  Are  our  stains  of  so  deep 
a  dye  that  *  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ '  is  needed 
to  cleanse  us?  Is  our  distance  from  God  so  great 
that  we  can  only  *be  made  nigh  in  the  blood  of 
Christ  ? '  Offence  is  thus  taken  at  the  doctrine  of 
Atonement,  which  is  either  denied,  or  explained  as 
one  among  other  moral  influences  by  which  man's 
sinfulness  may  be  overcome,  and  he  be  reconciled 
to  God  by  amendment  of  life.  Thus  salvation  is 
regarded  as  self-reformation,  and  not  as  forgiveness 
through  faith  in  Him  who  died  for  our  sins.  In 
many  publications  and  in  some  pulpits,  the  Gospel 
is  represented  as  Moral  Influence  alone.  The  object 
of  this  book  is  to  enforce  the  Truth  that  the  Gospel 
is  Atonement  for  guilt,  the  basis  and  the  power  of 
righteousness  of  life. 


CHAPTER   II. 

ATONEMENT  MORE  THAN  MORAL  INFLUENCE. 

We  do  not  undertake  to  support  all  that  has 

been    urged    in    defence    of   forgiveness    through 

Atonement,  as  true  to  Scripture,  honouring  to  God, 

rsj  or  useful  to  men.     As  '  science '  is  not  Nature,  but 

^  only  man's  conception  of  it,  and  therefore  liable  to 

error,  though  the  facts  of  Nature  abide  unchanged : 

sor  theology  is  only  man's  conception  of  revealed 

\ytruth,    and   may   be    open   to   revision,  while   its 

•^  fundamental  facts  remain  stedfast ;    as   the  stars, 

unchanged  by  the  theories  which  profess  to  explain 

their  motions.    '  Let  knowledge  grow  from  more  to 

more';    but  let   it   be  knowledge,  and   not  mere 

opinion  ;  and  with  opinion  let  *  sense  of  reverence 

in   us  dwell,'    that  we  exalt   not   opinion   above 

revelation. 

Dr.  Dale  has  forcibly  distinguished  between  the 

.  y  Atonement  as  a  fact  and  as  a  theory.     The  fact  is 

that  in  connexion  with  the  life  and  death  of  Christ 

sinners  are  saved,  whatever  the  theory  to  explain 

the  fact.      There    are    two   distinct    methods    of 


y%^ 


ATONEMENT  MORE  THAN  MORAL  INFLUENCE  15 

viewing  this  fact — *  The  ultimate  question  at  issue  is 
whether  the  sole  purpose  of  the  life  and  death  of 
Christ  was  to  effect  a  change  in  the  moral  and 
spiritual  character  of  men,  and  so  to  restore  them 
to    God ;   or  whether  there    is   a    direct   relation 
between    His   death  and   the   remission   of  sin'^.' 
As  strongly  as.  any  who  hold  the  view  of  moral  •• 
influence  alone,  the  advocates  of  Atonement  hold 
that  Christ  came  to  draw  men  God-ward ;  but  they 
also  hold  that  He  came  to  do  a  work  of  God  man- 
ward)    reconciling   God    to   us   as   the  basis  and        v 
influence  for  reconciling  us  to  God  :  so  that  forgive-  j^\ 
ness  by  the  cross,  and  the  resultant  change  in  our  -^  /^'^ 
condition  as  regards  God,  is  precedent  to  and  the 
instrument  of  our  change  in  character.  yr[ 

Theobject  of  this  treatise  is  to  repeat  and  re-echo  ^ 

in  brief  and  simple  form  what  has  been  more  learn-  ~; 

edly  and  exhaustively  set  forth  by  others — that 
salvation  by  Atonement  is  the  central  doctrine,  we 
hesitate  not  to  say  the  essential  fact,  of  Christianity. 
We  consider  that  on  this,  as  its  strong  foundation, 
stands  the  Church  of  God.  We  build  on  sand  if 
we  build  elsewhere.  This  is  the  groundwork  of  our 
assurance  of  pardon,  the  source  of  our  spiritual  life. 
This,  by  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  breaks 
the  chains  of  wickedness,  and  transforms  the  slave 
of  the  devil  into  a  child  of  God.  This  lures  us  from 
our  guilty  hiding-places,  to  seek  the  face  of  Him  we 
shunned,  and  to  cry,  *  Abba  I  Father ! '  Our  plea  in 
*  The  Atonement,  by  R.  W.  Dale,  D.D.    Lect  V. 


l6  ATONEMENT 

prayer,  our  theme  in  praise,  the  fountain  of  our  joy, 
the  motive  of  our  obedience,  the  subject  of  our 
preaching,  the  incentive  of  our  zeal,  the  bond  of  our 
X  union  with  God  and  with  men,  our  victory  over 
death,  the  basis  of  our  everlasting  hopes, — is  Jesus 
Christ '  sacrificed  for  us.' 

My  theme  therefore  has  no  novelty,  being  as  old 
as  the  Gospel  itself, — being  in  truth  the  very  essence 
of  that  Gospel.  It  is  fundamental  to  individual 
piety,  and  to  all  true  Christian  philanthropy.  We 
live  and  we  labour  '  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  who 
loved  us,  and  gave  Himself  for  us.*  The  purity, 
perseverance  and  success  of  our  efforts  for  others, 
will  ever  be  in  proportion  to  the  influence  which 
this  truth  exerts  on  our  hearts,  and  to  the  place 
which  it  occupies  in  our  teaching.  Our  zeal  will 
soon  cool  unless  it  is  inflamed  by  the  sacred  fire 
which  bums  on  this  altar ;  and  our  ministry,  whether 
at  home  or  in  heathen  lands,  will  be  but  as  '  sound- 
ing brass,'  unless  it  is  the  simple,  earnest,  heartfelt 
proclamation  of  the  '  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of 
all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners.'  All  the  refinements  of 
philosophy,  arrayed  in  all  the  fascinations  of  genius, 
and  urged  with  all  the  persuasiveness  of  eloquence, 
will  be  ineffectual  in  purifying  the  heart  either  of 
civilized  or  of  savage  man  ;  while  the  preaching  of 
the  cross  will  ever  be  found,  in  its  soul-transforming 
effects,  to  be  '  Christ,  the  power  of  God  and  wisdom 
of  God.' 


ATONEMENT  MORE  THAN  MORAL  INFLUENCE  17 

*  This  is  the  central  truth,  the  denial  of  which 
throws  the  whole  fabric  of  spiritual  truth  into  dis- 
integration and  collapse.  It  sustains  the  functions 
of  the  heart  to  every  other  verity  in  the  Christian 
scheme,  giving  to  it  life  and  power.  It  is  the  sun 
in  the  heavens  of  revelation,  around  which  other 
doctrines  revolve,  and  from  which  they  derive  their 
light.  If  God  has  not  revealed  this  fact — that  we 
are  saved  through  the  substitutionary  work  of 
Christ — He  has  revealed  nothing,  or  the  revelation 
has  been  clothed  in  such  deceptive  language  as  to 
necessitate  bewilderment  and  mistake,  and  that 
which  should  have  been  a  steady  lamp  to  our  feet 
and  light  to  our  path,  only  leads  us  into  quagmires 
of  error  and  despair  ^.' 

Let  us  then  appeal  'to  the  Law  and  to  the 
Testimony.' 

^  The  Atonement ;  its  relation  to  Pardon,  p,  4.     Enoch  Mellor, 
D.D. 


/ 


CHAPTER   III. 

WITNESS  OF  JEWISH   SACRIFICES. 

Since  both  Old  and  New  Testaments  reveal  the 
mind  of  the  same  God,  we  cannot  expect  that  they 
teach  two  methods  of  salvation  totally  distinct.  As 
the  Creator  has  in  Nature  developed  His  one  plan 
progressively,  from  lower  to  loftier  types,  so  we 
might  expect  that  His  method  of  salvation  should 
be  one  in  all  ages,  though  gradually  unfolded.  If 
then  substitutionary  sacrifice  is  the  great  fact  and 
theme  of  the  Gospel,  we  may  expect  intimations  of 
it  in  preceding  dispensations ;  just  as  we  find 
anticipations  of  existing  forms  of  vegetable  and 
animal  life  in  the  strata  of  the  earth. 

The  proofs  are  abundant.  Soon  after  man  had 
fallen  by  sin  Abel  ofifiJxdJtlieJir^Hnss  of  his  flock 
in  sacrifice,  '  and  the  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel 
and  to  his  offering '  (Gen.  iv.  4).  May  not  He  Him- 
self have  ordained  a  sacrifice,  so  unlikely  to  have 
been  of  human  invention  ?  '  Noah  builded  an  altar 
unto   the   Lord,  and    offered    burnt-offerings,'   in 


WITNESS  OF  JEWISH  SACRIFICES  19 

deprecation  of  the  displeasure  of  that  holy  God 
who  had  swept  away  a  wicked  race.     Its  efficacy 
was  indicated  in  the  response — *I  will  not  again 
curse  the  ground  any  more  for  man's  sake '  (Gen. 
viii.  si).     Job  'rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and     \ 
offered  burnt-offerings  according  to  the  number  of   V 
them  all :   for  Job  said,  It  may  be  that  my  sons    "^ 
have  sinned.     Thus  did  Job  continually '  (Job  i.  5 ; 
xhi.  7,  8).     Abraham,  wherever  he  pitched  his  tent, 
•  builded  an  ahar  unto  the  Lord.'    At  Moriah,  Isaac  ^7 
as  one  familiar  with  such  oblations,  inquired,  *  Where  /^ 
is  the  lamb  for  a  burnt-offering  ? '  and  when  Abra- 
ham was  preparing  to  offer  Isaac,  God  provided  a 
ram  as  a  substitute.     Jacob  built  altars  of  sacrifice         \ 
(Gen.  xii.  7,  8  ;  xiii.  18  ;  xxii.  1-T4  ;  xxxv.  1-3,  7). 

On  occasion  of  the  Exodus,  a  lamb  was  slain  in 
every  Israelitish  family,  and  the  blood  was  sprinkled     , 
on  the  door-post,  so  that  the  Angel  of  Destruction   (^ 
passed  over  such  houses,  when  he  slew  the  first- 
born of  Egypt.     This  offering  of  the  Paschal  lamb 
was  celebrated  evermore  in  the  great  annual  feast 
of  the  nation,  until  Christ,  who  was  put  to  death  at 
the  Passover,  changed  it  into  the  Holy  Supper  to  y 
commemorate    a    far   greater   deliverance.      'Our''^ 
Passover  also   hath  been   sacrificed,  even  Christ' 
(Ex.  xii.  1-30 ;  i  Cor.  v.  7). 

In  the  elaborate  ritual  of  the  Tabernacle,  sacrifice 

was  prominent.      It  is  unnecessary  to  prove  that 

all  the   Levitical    sacrifices   were    piacular,   it    is 

sufficient  to  show  that  some  of  them  were  so,  and 

B  a 


0 


30  ATONEMENT 

were  regarded  as  atonement  for  sin.     On  occasion 

of  the  worship  of  the  golden  calf,  '  Moses  said  unto 

the  people,  Ye  have  sinned  a  great  sin :  and  now  I 

will  go  up  unto  the  Lord  ;    pcradventure  I  shall 

make  atonement  for  your  sin.'     '  Moses  said  unto 

Aaron,  Take  thy  censer,  and  put  fire  therein  from 

^^-p^      off  the  altar,  .  .  .  and  make  atonement  for  them,  for 

\l  there  is  wrath  gone  out  from  the  Lord.  .  .  .  And  he 

Q        stood  between  the  dead  and  the  living;  and  the 

plague  was  stayed '  (Ex.  xxxii.   30 ;    Num.    xvi. 

jr  46,  48).      The  Hebrew  word  rendered  Atonement 

/    '  means   to  cover  sin,   in   such   a   way  thai'  God 

/       regards  it  as  neutralised,  disarnied,  inoperative  to 

J        arouse  His  anger  ^.'     It  is  employed  in  numerous 

_    y      other  passages  in  connexion  with  sacrifice.     'The 

\  priest  shall  offer  for  his  sin  a  young  bullock,  and  he 

shall  lay  his  hand  on  the  head  of  the  bullock  and  kill 

the  bullock  before  the  Lord.  .  .  .  And  the  priest 

shall   make   atonement  for   him'   (Ex.  xxix.  ^6; 

XXX.  10  ;  Lev.  i.  4  ;  iv.  ^-6  ;   22-26  ;  ^^  ;  v.  10-18). 

On  the  great  Day  of  Atonement  two  goats  were 

selected  'for  a   sm-ottering^;    one   of  which  was 

killed,  and  its  blood  sprinkled  upon  the  mercy-seat 

to   'make   atonement  because   of    all   their   sins.' 

Then  Aaron   was   commanded   to   '  lay  both   his 

hands  upon  the  head  of  the  live  goat,  and  confess 

over  him  all  the  iniquities  of  the  children  of  Israel, 

putting  them  upon  the  head  of  the  goat ;  and  the 

'  Scriptural  Doctrine  of  Sacrifice.    Prof.  Cave,  D.D. 


WITNESS  OF  JEWISH  SACRIFICES  21 

goat  shall  bear  upon  him  all  their  iniquities  unto  a 
land  not  inhabited  '  (Lev.  xvi).  Here  the  nature  of 
sacrifice  is  fully  expressed:  first  there  is  the  death  t 
of  the  victim  as  the  medium  of  forgiveness,  and 
then  the  fsigiyjuiess  itself,  symbolized  by  sending 
away  to  the  wilderness  the  living_gqatj  on  the  head 
of  which  the  sins  of  the  people  had  been  em- 
blematically placed. 

The  Jews  thus  instructed,  regarded  sacrifice  as 
a  means  whereby  punishment  could  be  averted. 
Thus,  when  the  pestilence  was  raging,  David  the 
king  went  forth,  '  and  built  an  altar  unto  the  Lord, 
and  offered  burnt-offerings  and  peace-offerings.  So 
the  Lord  was  entreated  for  the  land,  and  the  plagu 
was  stayed  from  Israel '  (2  Sam.  xxiv.  1 8-25). 

We  prove  that  the  Levitical  sacrifices  were 
divinely  appointed,  and  were  piacular.  We  infer 
that  the  sacrifices  which  preceded  them,  having 
been  approved  by  God,  resembled  them  both  in 
authority  and  in  tjfsiprp.  Thus  successive  genera- 
•tfons  ortered  animal  sacrifices,  in  token  of  contrition 
and  as  a  medium  of  j)axdon.  Not  merely  *  a  con- 
fession of^Hependence  and  trust '  ;  but  also  a 
confession  of  sins,  and  of  faith  that  in  connexion 
with  the  substitution  of  an  animal-victim  those 
sins  might  be  forgiven. 

Those  worshippers  might  not  understand  how 
pardon  and  sacrifice  were  connected,  yet  relying 
on  the  divinely  appointed  medium,  they  were 
delivered  from  the  fear  which  guilt  produces,  and 


aa  ATONEMENT 

brought  into  that  condition  of  filial  confidence  and 
self-surrender,  which  requires  such  assurance  of 
pardon  as  its  antecedent  and  its  cause.  The  Book 
of  Leviticus  obviously  teaches  what  the  writer  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  deduces  from  it,  that 
'  without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission.' 
The  worshipper  who  confessed  his  sin  over  the  head 
of  the  victim,  the  blood  of  which  was  then  sprinkled 
on  the  altar,  not  merely  professed  his  return  to 
obedience,  but  also  primarily  sought  deliverance 
from  the  burden  of  guilt,  as  essential  to  renewed 
obedience.  How  can  I  with  confidence  yield  my- 
self to  God,  unless  I  am  assured  that  God  is 
willing  to  accept  me?  The  sacrifice  was  therefore 
needed,  not  merely  as  a  profession  of  repentance, 
but  as  a  medium  and  assurance  of  the  divine 
mercy. 

If  sacrifices  only  signified  living  surrender,  there 
was  incongruity  between  the  sign  and  the  thing 
signified.  Though  the  blood  was  the  life,  the 
shedding  of  that  blood  did  not  express  living 
service.  If  blood  represents  life,  blood  shed  is  life 
ended.  But  if  this  indicated  that  the  worshipper 
deserved  to  suffer  for  the  sins  confessed  over  the 
victim's  head,  then  the  death  of  the  lamb,  as  the 
type,  corresponded  with  the  death  of  Christ,  as  the 
antitype — '  the  Lamb  of  God.' 


•^^^ 


^A 


/ 


CHAPTER   IV. 

WITNESS  OF  PROPHECY. 

Our  Lord  and  His  Apostles  interpreted  many 
prophecies  as  fulfilled  in  Himself.    Philip  said,  'We 
have  found  Him,  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and 
the  prophets,  did  write — Jesus  of  Nazareth '  (John 
i.  45).     Our  Lord  said  to  the  Jews,  '  Search  the 
1    Scriptures . . .  they  bear  witness  of  Me '  (John  v.  39). 
"^  He  might  have  summoned  angels  to  His  rescue, 
O  but  '  How  then  should  the  Scriptures  be  fulfilled  ? ' 
V-     (Matt.  xxvi.  54).     After  His  resurrection,  '  Begin- 
ning from  Moses  and  from  all  the   prophets,  He 
interpreted  to  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things 
concerning  Himself.'     Just   before   His   ascension, 
'  These  are  My  words  which  I  spake  unto  you,  how 
that  all  things  must  needs  be  fulfilled,  which  are 
written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  the  prophets,  and 
the   Psalms,   concerning   Me.     Then   opened   He 
//_  their  mind,  that  they  might  understand  the  Scrip- 
/      tures '  (Luke  xxiv.  25-27 ;  44-47). 

St.  Peter  at  Pentecost  said,  '  The  things  which 


<^ 


24  ATONEMENT 

God  foreshewed  by  the  mouth  of  all  the  prophets, 
that  His  Christ  should  suffer,  He  thus  fulfilled.' 
Moses, '  and  all  the  prophets  from  Samuel  and  them 
that  followed  after,  told  of  these  days,'  in  which 
'  God,  having  raised  up  His  Servant,  sent  Him 
to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every  one  of  you 
from  your  iniquities'  (Acts  iii.  18-26).  St.  Paul 
wrote  of  'the  righteousness  of  God  through  faith 
in  Jesus  Christ,'  as  having  been  *  witnessed  by  the 
law  and  the  prophets '  (Rom.  iii.  21,  22).  Before 
Agrippa  he  pleaded  that  he  had  taught  nothing 
but  what '  the  prophets  and  Moses  did  say  should 
come  ;  how  that  the  Christ  must  suffer,  and  how 
that  He  first,  by  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
should  proclaim  light  both  to  the  people  and  to  the 
Gentiles.'  At  Rome  he  persuaded  the  Jews  '  from 
the  law  of  Moses  and  from  the  prophets,  from  morn- 
ing till  evening '  (Acts  xxvi.  22,  23  ;  xxviii.  23). 

What  did  those  prophets  foretell  concerning 
Christ  ? 

When  our  first  parents  fell,  the  promise  was 
given  that  the  seed  of  the  woman  was  to  bruise 
the  serpent's  head  (Gen.  iii.  l^).  Moses  testified, 
'  The  Lord  said  unto  me,  I  will  raise  up  a  Prophet 
from  among  their  brethren  like  unto  thee,  and  will 
put  My  words  in  His  mouth'  (Deut.  xviii.  17,  18). 
Christ  said,  '  If  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  be- 
lieve Me,  for  he  wrote  of  Me.'  '  The  words  which 
Thou  gavest  Mel  have  given  unto  them '  (John  v. 
46 ;  xii.  49  ;  xiv.  10  ;  xvii.  4,  8). 


WITNESS  OF  PROPHECY  2$ 

The  Psalmists.   '  Thou  wilt  not  suffer  Thy  Holy- 
One  to  see  corruption  '  is  interpreted  of  Christ  by       .    / 
St.  Peter  (Acts  ii.  35-28).     Ps.  xxii  predicts  the-yC^ 
piercing  of  the  hands  and  dividing  of  the  raiment,    / 
as    fulfilled    at    the    crucifixion    (John   xix.    24). 
Ps.  xlv.  6  is  interpreted  of  Christ,  in  Heb.  i.  8. 
Ps.  ex.  I  is  quoted  by  St.  Peter  as  fulfilled  in  *  this 
Jesus  whom  ye  crucified '  (Acts  ii.  34-36).    Ps.  ex.  4 
is   applied  to  Christ,   who   'hath  His   priesthood 
unchangeable'  (Heb.  v.  6-10 ;  vii.  T-34). 

Zechariah's  prophecy,  'Behold  thy  King 
Cometh  riding  upon  an  ass '  (ix.  9)  was  claimed  by 
St.  Matthew  as  fulfilled  at  Christ's  entry  into  Jeru- 
salem (Matt.  xxi.  1-5).  Our  Lord  interpreted  of 
Himself  the  prediction,  Zech.  xiii.  7,  '  All  ye  shall  ^V^- 
be  offended  in  Me  this  night :  for  it  is  written,  I  ^v:iJ 
will  smite  the  Shepherd,  and  the  sheep  of  the  flock 
shall  be  scattered '  (Matt.  xxvi.  31).  JOEL  ii.  28-32 
was  quoted  by  St.  Peter  at  Pentecost  as  fulfilled  by 
the  risen  Christ — '  I  will  pour  out  My  Spirit  upon 
all  flesh,  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall 
prophesy,'  &c.  (Acts  ii.  17-21).  Malachi  was 
quoted  by  Christ  as  predicting  His  forerunner — 
'  This  is  he,  of  whom  it  is  written,  Behold,  I  send 
My  messenger  before  Thy  face '  (Mai.  iii.  i  ;  Matt, 
xi.  10). 

Isaiah  has  been  well  termed  the  Evangelical 
Prophet,  so  frequently  does  he  prophesy  of  Christ, 
as  interpreted  by  the  Apostles.  *  Behold,  a  virgin 
shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  Son,  and  shall  call  His 


/ 


26  ATONEMENT 

name  Immanuel '  (Is.  vii.  14),  is  quoted  by  St. 
Matthew  in  his  narrative  of  the  Nativity  (Matt, 
i.  23).  Is.  vi.  9,  10;  viii.  14;  xxviii.  16,  are 
quoted  by  St.  Paul  as  fulfilled  in  Christ — '  As  it  is 
written,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  a  stone  of  stumbling,' 

/  &c.  (Rom.  ix.  33);  and  by  St.  Peter  'a  chief 
corner  stone,'  &c.  (i  Pet.  ii.  6).  John  the  Baptist 
quoted  Is.  xl.  3,  as  referring  to  his  own  testimony 
of  Christ  (Matt.  iii.  3).  Is.  xlii.  1-3  is  referred 
by  St.  Matthew  to  Christ,  *A  bruised  reed  shall 
He  not  break,'  &c.  Matt.  xii.  17-21).  Is.  Ixi.  1-^ 
was  read  at  Nazareth  by  Jesus,  who  added,  *  To- 
day hath  this  Scripture  been  fulfilled  in  your  ears ' 
(Luke  iv.  17-21). 

Isaiah  liii.  might  seem  to  be  a  statement  of  ac- 
complished fact,  so  circumstantially  does  it  describe 
the  sufferings  of  the  Messiah.  It  also  sets  forth  the 
purpose  and  results  of  those  sufferings  so  explicitly 
that  it  may  well  be  claimed  as  an  emphatic  witness 
to  the  Atonement. 

Verse  i.  St.  John  writes,  'These  things  said 
Isaiah,  because  he  saw  His  glory  ;  and  he  spake  of 

/7      Him '  (John  xii.  38-41).     So  also  St.  Paul  (Rom. 

A  x.  16).  Verse  4  is  quoted  in  Matt.  viii.  17,  '  That  it 
might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  by  Isaiah  the 
prophet,  saying,  Himself  took  our  infirmities,  and 
bare  our  diseases.'  Verse  5,  *  He  was  wounded  for 
our  transgressions  ;  and  with  His  stripes  we  are 
heftled,'  is  applied  to  Christ  (1  Pet.  ii.  24).  Verse  6, 
'  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  us  all ' : 


WITNESS  OF  PROPHECY  1^ 

this  must  mean  suffering  the  penalty.  '  The  son 
shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father'  (Ezek. 
xviii.  20),  i.e.  shall  not  suffer  for  it.  But  Christ 
does  this  for  us ;  '  His  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  His  / 

body  upon  the  tree'  (i  Pet.  ii.  24).  Ver.se  7,  'as  / 
a  lamb  that  is  led  to  the  slaughter,'  was  applied  to 
Christ  by  Philip,  when  by  special  commission  from 
God  he  instructed  the  Ethiopian,  and  '  beginning 
from  this  Scripture,  preached  unto  him  Jesus  '  (Acts 
viii.  26-40).  St.  Peter,  alluding  to  this  prophecy, 
wrote,  '  Christ  suffered  for  you,  who,  when  He  was 
reviled,  reviled  not  again'  (i  Pet.  ii.  23).  Verse  12 
is  quoted  by  the  Saviour  Himself:  'This  which 
is  written  must  be  fulfilled  in  Me,  And  He  was 
reckoned  with  transgressors ;  for  that  which  con- 
cerneth  Me  hath  fulfilment'  (Luke  xxii.  37). 

Prior  to  the  death  of  Christ  and  during  two 
centuries  afterwards,  the  Jews  interpreted  this 
chapter  as  relating  to  a  personal  Messiah ;  but 
when  Christianity  triumphed  and  used  this  predic- 
tion in  evidence,  they  changed  their  interpretation 
from  a  person  to  the  nation.  Those  who  accept 
Christ  only  as  a  moral  reformer  naturally  reject  an 
interpretation  adverse  to  their  theory.  They  may 
question  the  application  of  such  prophecies,  the 
infallibility  of  the  Apostles,  and  even  of  their  Master, 
or  the  accuracy  of  reporters  and  transcribers,  but 
they  cannot  deny  that  the  Apostles,  as  represented 
in  the  New  Testament,  taught  that  these  predictions 
were  fulfilled  in  Christ. 


CHAPTER  V. 

WITNESS  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

Jesus  said,  'The  Law  and  the  Prophets  were 
until  John:  from  that  time  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  preached'  (Luke  xvi.  i6).  He 
was  the  last  prophet  of  the  old  j:ovenant,  and  the 
herald  of  the  new]  the  divinely  constituted  link 
between  the  two  dispensations,  proclaiming  the 
advent  of  Him  who  fulfilled  the  foregoing  types 
and  predictions.  The  long  shadow  projected  by 
the  sun  from  the  approaching  traveller  gave  place 
to  the  actual  presence  which  verified  the  dim  out- 
line. John,  a  second  Elijah,  pointed  from  the 
shadow  to  the  Substance,  and  in  the  name  of  all 
the  prophets  did  homage  to  the  Messiah  by 
baptizing  Him,  a  greater  than  all. 

He  was  '  sent  from  God,  that  he  might  bear 
witness  of  the  Light,  that  all  might  believe  through 
Him.'  He  said,  '  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in 
the  wilderness,  Make  straight  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
as  said  Isaiah  the  prophet '  (John  i.  7,  23).     Thus 


WITNESS  OF  JOHN   THE  BAPTIST  29 

divinely  commissioned,  he  bore  testimony  that 
Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God  who  came  to  bring 
mercy  and  the  knowledge  of  salvation.  '  John 
beareth  witness  of  Him,  and  crieth,  Grace  and  truth 
came  by  Jesus  Christ.  No  man  hath  seen  God  at 
any  time ;  the  only  begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father,  He  hath  declared  Him.'  He 
also  testified  that  Jesus  would  bestow  the  Holy 
Spirit,  who  changes  the  sinful  hearr^nd  pro3uces  * 
holiness  of  life.  *  He  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with 
water,  He  said  unto  me,  Upon  whomsoever  thou 
shalt  see  the  Spirit  descending,  the  same  is  He 
that  baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Spirits  And  I  have 
seen  and  have  borne  witness  that  this  is  the  Son  of 
God '  (John  i.  15-34). 

Thus  the  Baptist  bore  testimony  to  the  Saviour 
as  the  Author  and  Giver  of  spiritual  grace  to  purify 
the  heart  and  life.  This  is  one  aspect  of  salvation, 
its  subjective  influence.  The  other  is  the  pro- 
viding an  Atonement  to  cover  guilt  and  save  from 
penah^.  This  was  testified  of  Christ  when  the 
Baptist,  looking  towards  Him,  said — 'Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world.'  The  next  day  he  re-affirmed  the  title 
which  implied  the  purpose — *  Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God  '  (John  i.  29,  -3,6). 

It  is  quite  true  that  when,  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
given  by  Christ,  a  sinner  renounces  his  sinful 
practices,  sin  is  taken  away ;  but  is  this  the  mean- 
ing here?     It  is  the  meaning  of  the  promise  that 


30  ATONEMENT 

Jesus  would  baptize  with  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  if 
it  were  also  the  meaning  here  we  might  expect  to 
read — '  Behold  the  great  Teacher  of  holiness,  its 
perfect  Exemplar,  the  Giver  of  the  Spirit,  who 
thus,  by  influencing  the  heart  of  man,  enables  him 
to  cease  from  sinning.'  But  what  relation  is  there 
between  a  Lamb  and  such  reformation  of  life, 
unless  that  which  is  suggested  by  the  sacrificial 
Lamb  of  the  Jewish  worship?  He  did  not  say, 
'  Behold  Him  who  illustrates  in  His  character  the 
gentleness  and  purity  of  a  lamb  ' ;  not, '  Behold  the 
Lamb  who  will  teach  men  to  become  good ' ;  but 
who  taketh  away  sin ;  not  the  sins  of  individuals, 
but  '  the  sin  of  the  world.' 
/  The  word  '  means  taketh  away  by  bearing  or 
\  carrying  the  thing  that  is  taken  away  .  .  .  imply- 
ing that  Christ  took  on  Himself  the  burden  of 
our  sin,  and  in  this  way  removed  it  from  us.  It 
is  never  used  in  Scripture  to  signify  removing  sin 
by  instruction,  authority,  or  example ;  but  always 
to  denote  expiating  sin  or  bearing  its  punishment. 
Had  the  Baptist's  words  been,  "  Behold  the  Light 
of  the  world,"  there  might  have  been  some  greater 
plausibility  in  the  suggestion  that  "  the  sin  of  the 
world  "  is  here  said  to  be  removed  through  His  in- 
structions. But  we  cannot  reasonably  suppose  that 
any  other  mode  of  removing  sins  is  indicated,  than 
that  of  making  expiation  or  atonement  for  them  \' 
The  Baptist  instructed  his  hearers  to  recognise 
*  ScripUircU  Doctrine  of  Atonement ^  pp.  47,  48.    Prot  Crawford. 


WITNESS  OF  JOHN   THE  BAPTIST  3I 

the  true  Sacrifice  of  which  the  lambs  offered  on 
the  altar  were  but  figures.  Here  is  the  reality; 
provided  not  by  men,  but  by  God  Himself;  the 
fulfilment  of  type  and  prophecy;  by  whom  the 
curse  is  removed  not  merely  from  the  Jewish  race, 
but  from  the  whole  world. 

'The  Baptist  in  a  striking  metaphor  condenses 
the  whole  sacrificial  system  into  a  burning  word 
based  on  Isaiah's  oracle  touching  the  suffering 
servant  of  Jehovah. . . .  The  Paschal  Lamb  was  a  sin 
offering,  and  freed  Israel  from  the  curse  that  fell  on 
the  first-born  of  Egypt.  Twice  every  day  a  lamb 
was  presented  as  a  bttrnt  offering,  and  accepted  by 
God  to  make  atonement  for  sirii  '.  .  .  The  lamb  of 
the  trespass  offering  was  slain  for  atonement.  .  .  . 
On  the  Day  of  Atonement  the  high  priest  took  the 
blood  of  the  bullock  of  sin  offering  into  the  holy 
place  to  make  atonement,  because"  of  their  "  trans- 
gressions in  all  their  sins."  .  .  .  God's  Lamb  is 
portrayed  in  terms  which  the  writers  of  the  New 
Testament  regarded  as  a  sufiicient  exposition  of 
the  meaning  of  the  death  of  their  Lord.  .  .  .  John 
the  Baptist  perceived  with  an  intensity  which 
plainly  amounted  to  divine  inspiration,  that  Jesus 
was  not  only  the  Baptizer  with  the  Holy  Ghost, 
but  the  Lamb  of  God  ^.' 

This  witness  borne  by  the  Baptist  was  certified 
by  Jesus  Himself — '  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Among 
them  that  are  born  of  women  there  hath  not  arisen 
'  John  the  Baptist^  Lect  6.    H.  R.  Reynolds,  D.D. 


/ 


32  ATONEMENT 

a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist.  ...  Ye  have  sent 
unto  John,  and  he  Kath  borne  witness  unto  the 
truth'  (Matt.  xi.  ii  ;  John  v.  33).  Combine  with 
this  designation  of  the  Lamb  of  God  the  words  of 
the  Prophet, '  He  humbled  Himself  and  opened  not 
His  mouth,  as  a  lamb  that  is  led  to  the  slaughter ' 
(Is.  liii.  7) ;  and  those  of  the  Apostle,  '  Ye  were 
redeemed  with  precious  blood,  as  of  a  lamb  without 
blemish  and  without  spot,  even  the  blood  of  Christ ' 
(i  Pet.  i.  19);  and  the  vision  of  Jesus  in  the  'midst 
of  the  throne,  a  Lamb  standing,  as  though  it  had 
been  slain ' ;  with  the  celestial  anthem,  '  Worthy  is 
the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain  to  receive  glory  and 
blessing.  .  .  .  Unto  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb  ;  who  loveth  us,  and  loosed  us 
from  our  sins  by  His  blood,  be  the  glory  for  ever 
and  ever.     Amen'  (Rev.  i.  5,  6  ;  v.  6,  12). 


CHAPTER  VI. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  WORDS  OF  JESUS. 

It  has  been  said  that  Christ  Himself  never 
taught  Atonement  for  sin  as  the  object  of  His 
mission  ;  but  that  His  simple  moral  teaching  and 
martyr-death  were  misrepresented  by  Jewishly  pre- 
judiced followers,  who  attributed  to  Him  their  false 
interpretations.  If  Christ  did  indeed  thus  keep  ^ 
silent  on  this  theme,  it  is  replied  that  His  great 
mission  was  to  ./^«-^^  the  Gospel  rather  than  to 
proclaim  it.  '  He  came  not  to  preach  it  so  much,  as 
that  there  might  be  a  Gospel  to  preach.  .  .  .  The  life 
of  Christ  was  more  than  His  words.  His  actions 
revealed  the  Father.  He  did  not  translate  all  He 
did  into  words.  This  the  Apostles  did.  As  "  day 
unto  day  uttereth  speech,"  though  their  voice  is  not 
heard,  so  even  in  the  silence  of  Christ  there  is  a 
revelation  which  transcends  all  that  is  contained  in 
the  rapture  of  Psalmists,  the  visions  of  Prophets 
and  the  wisdom  of  Apostles.  .  .  .  When  God  was 
living  among  men  He  was  not  always  explaining 

C 


re 


/ 


34  ATONEMENT 

Himself.  You  cannot  translate  the  Alps  into  a 
series  of  propositions ;  and  there  is  no  formula  for 
the  golden  pomp  of  a  sunset  or  for  the  majesty  of 
the  Matterhorn  ^' 

But  if  His  great  object  was  to  save  by  death,  and 
if  *  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth 
speaketh/  it  would  have  seemed  strange  if  He  had 
kept  silence  on  a  subject  so  important,  and  had 
never  ratified  the  designation  of  the  Baptist. 

Ponder  some  of  His  words.  'As  Moses  lifted  up 
the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son 
of  Man  be  lifted  up ;  that  whosoever  believeth  may 
in  Him  have  eternal  life.'  '  This  is  the  will  of  My 
Father,  that  every  one  that  behold eth  the  Son,  and 
believeth  on  Him,  should  have  eternal  life.'  '  I 
give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never 
perish.'  '  Whosoever  believeth  on  Me  shall  never 
die.'  'No  one  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by 
Me'  (John  iii.  14,  15;  vi.  40,  51;  x.  a8 ;  xi.  36; 
xiv.  6). 

Such  exclusive  claim  implies  exclusive  qualifi- 
cation. He  claimed  to  save  ;  He  qualified  Himself 
by  dying.  '  I  am  the  living  bread  which  came 
down  from  heaven.  The  bread  I  will  give  is  My 
,flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world. 
If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live  for  ever. 
I  am  the  Bread  of  Life.  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  Myself.  This 
He  said  signifying  what  death  He  should  die.'  '  The 
^  The  Atonement.    R.  W.  Dale,  D.D. 


WITNESS  OF  THE  WORDS  OF  JESUS  ^^ 

Son  of  Man  came  to  minister,  and  to  give  His 
life  a  ransom  for  many.'  'The  good  Shepherd 
layeth  down  His  life  for  the  sheep.  Therefore 
doth  My  Father  love  Me  because  I  lay  down  My 
life.'  '  The  Son  of  Man  came  to  save  that  which 
was  lost.'  *  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends.' 
(Matt.  xi.  27,  38  ;  xx.  28 ;  Luke  xix.  10 ;  John 
ii.  19;  vi.  32-40;  4^-51;  viii.  28;  x.  14,  15,  ly ; 
xii.  23-28,  32 ;  XV.  13  ;  xvi.  23 ;  xvii.  1-5.) 

The  Jews  whom  Christ  addressed  understood  by 
ransom,  not  moral  influence,  but  substitution  in 
place  of  penalty ;  or  a  price  to  secure  a  benefit ; 
the  half-shekel  for  every  one  at  a  census,  '  a  ran- 
som for  his  soul  unto  the  Lord,'  &c.  (Ex.  xxx. 
12-16).  No  substitution  for  the  life  of  a  murderer 
was  to  be  accepted.  In  this  sense  Christ  gave  His 
life  '  a  ransom  for  many.'  Thus  our  Lord  taught 
that  the  eternal  life  He  had  promised  was  linked 
with  the  surrender  of  His  own  life  (Ex.  xxx.  12-16  ; 
Lev.  XXV.  25  ;  Num.  xviii.  15,  16  ;  xxxv.  32). 

No  action  in  our  Lord's  ministry  was  more  solemn 
than  the  institution  of  the  Holy  Supper,  whereby 
He  fulfilled  the  type  of  the  Passover,  which  was  now 
superseded  by  the  commemoration  of  His  death. 
'  He  took  bread,  and  when  He  had  given  thanks, 
He  brake  it,  and  said,  This  is  My  body  which  is 
for  you :  this  do  in  remembrance  of  Me.  And  in 
like  manner  also  the  cup,  saying,  This  cup  is  the  new 
covenant  in  My  blood  ' ;  '  even  that  which  is  poured 
C  2 


$6  ATONEMENT 

out  for  you.'  Had  He  come  merely  to  exert  moral 
influence,  why  not  refer  to  His  teaching,  miracles, 
example,  as  specially  to  be  kept  in  remembrance  ? 
Why  select  His  death  alone,  unless  it  had  a  special 
significance  ?  He  explained  what  it  meant,  '  Drink 
ye  all  of  it :  for  this  is  My  blood  of  the  covenant, 
which  is  shed  for  many  unto  remission  of  sins'  So 
that  this  Sacrament  of  Holy  Communion  was  to 
be  observed  till  His  Second  Advent,  to  keep  His 
death  and  its  purpose  in  constant  remembrance 
(Matt.  xxvi.  26-38;  Mark  xiv.  22-24;  Luke  xxii. 
19,  20).  St.  Paul  by  divine  authority  confirmed 
the  duty  of  presei-ving  both  the  institution  and  its 
meaning — '  My  body  which  is  for  you  :  the  new 
covenant  in  My  blood  :  ye  proclaim  the  Lord's 
death '  (i  Cor.  xi.  23-26). 

Objectors  often  urge  that  the  Apostles  were 
trained  up  in  Jewish  ceremonial  and  in  the  use  of 
sacrificial  language,  and  so  gave  this  colouring  to 
Christ's  simple  teaching.  Christ  knew  this,  and 
deliberately  used  language  which  they  would  cer- 
tainly interpret  in  this  sense.  In  instituting  an 
observance  for  the  whole  Church,  in  all  coming 
time,  to  be  significant  of  His  death  and  its  purpose, 
He  could  '  not  have  used  any  figure  borrowed  from 
the  Jewish  ritual,  unless  it  were  the  very  fittest  that 
could  be  found  to  embody  His  real  meaning.  Our 
Lord  must  have  used  the  words  because  He  knew 
they  would  so  understand  them,  and  because  He 
wished  and  intended  them  to  do  so.     If  He  did  not 


WITNESS  OF  THE  WORDS  OF  JESUS  37 

mean  to  say  that  His  death  was  an  expiatory 
sacrifice,  and  that  it  was  intended  to  procure  re- 
mission of  sins,  He  was  using  language  which  He 
must  have  known  was  sure  to  be  misunderstood  by 
those  who  heard  Him,  and  through  them  to  mislead 
every  Christian  Church  which  should  afterwards 
receive  the  Gospel  through  their  lips  ^.' 

After  His  resurrection  the  Lord  continued  to 
teach  the  necessity  and  purpose  of  His  death. 
'  O  slow  of  heart  to  believe  in  all  that  the  prophets 
have  spoken !  Behoved  it  not  the  Christ  to  suffer 
these  things,  and  to  enter  into  His  glory  ? '  To  the 
disciples,  just  before  His  ascension,  He  said, '  Thus 
it  is  written,  that  the  Christ  should  suffer,  and  rise 
again  the  JJiirdday ;  and  that  repentance  and  re- 
mission of  j?W  sKouId  be  preached  in  His  Name 
unto  all  the  nations '  (Luke  xxiv.  25,  26 ;  46,  47). 

How,  in  the  light  of  such  declarations  by  our 
Lord  Himself,  can  it  be  maintained  that  the  Atone- 
ment was  a  theory  invented  by  His  followers 
without  any  intimation  from  Himself?  His  chief 
mission  was  indeed  to  make  the  Atonement  which, 
when  completed,  was  toTse  proclaimed :  but  this 
was  evidently  in  His  heart  all  the  while,  and  most 
emphatically  declared,  both  during  His  living 
ministry  and  after  His  resurrection,  in  His  parting 
words.  It  was  because  their  minds  and  hearts  were 
filled  with  this  truth,  which  they  had  learned  from 

'  Holy  Scripture  respecting  the  Atonement.  Prof.  Crawford,  D.D., 
p.  51. 


38  ATONEMENT 

His  constant  teaching,  that  after  His  ascension 
and  the  gift  of  His  Spirit  they  went  forth  at  once 
to  obey  His  command  to  preach  this  Gospel  to 
every  creature. 

But  even  if  our  Lord  had  not  thus  emphatically 
witnessed  to  the  Atonement  in  distinct  words,  His 
whole  ministry  breathed  it.  This  pervaded  His 
teaching,  animated  the  letter,  explained  the  symbol, 
interpreted  the  miracle,  slept  in  His  silence,  lived  in 
His  death. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  JESUS. 

The  Saviour's  Passion  is  a  prominent  feature  of 
all  the  Gospels.  It  is  contrary  to  the  general  rule 
of  proportion  that  a  life  crowded  with  important 
incidents  should  be  narrated  with  such  brevity, 
while  the  circumstances  of  death  are  described  with 
such  elaborate  detail.  If  the  mission  of  Christ  was 
chiefly  to  influence  morally  by  word  and  example, 
why  has  so  much  that  He  said  and  did,  adapted 
to  such  purpose,  been  omitted  ?  The  *  death  of  the 
righteous'  is  in  every  case  a  mystery.  Strange 
that  God  should  allow  any  loyal  servant,  any  loving 
child  of  His,  although  their  righteousness  is  imper- 
fect, to  die  as  the  wicked  die.  In  the  case  of  Christ, 
God  allowed  His  well-beloved  Son  to  die,  the  object 
of  His  perfect  approval  and  delight,  who  had  no  sin 
of  His  own  to  demand  penalty,  and  could  not  be 
guilty  of  that  of  others,  but  was  a  perfect  reflection 
as  man  of  the  perfect  holiness  of  God  ;  and  yet  He 
died  I     He  was  not  bound  by  the  physical  laws  of 


40  ATONEMENT 

death,  for  He  saved  others  from  dying.  The  Atone- 
ment alone  meets  the  difficulty.  He  died  to  '  take 
away  the  sin  of  the  world.' 

He  was  born  not  simply  with  the  liability,  but  for 
the  very  purpose  of  death.  Life  is  the  great  purpose 
of  heroes  and  philanthropists.  They  live  for  the 
cause  of  humanity,  and  death  cuts  short  their 
labours.  Christ  came  to  die  for  humanity,  and  His 
death  perfected  and  perpetuated  His  work.  This 
was  prominently  in  His  mind  during  His  active 
ministry.  Again  and  again  He  spoke  to  His  dis- 
ciples of  the  death  He  was  to  die.  '  From  that  time 
began  Jesus  to  show  unto  His  disciples  how  that 
He  must  suffer  many  things  of  the  elders  and  chief 
priests  and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  the  third  day 
be  raised  up '(Matt.  xvi.  3i  ;  xxvi.  la;  Mark  viii. 
31  ;  ix.  12  ;  xiv.  8  ;  Luke  ix.  32  ;  xvii.  25  ;  xxiv. 
6-8).  It  was  unlike  other  heroes  thus  to  dwell  on 
His  death.  Was  it  not  because  His  death  had 
objects  beyond  theirs?  In  their  case  life  was  to 
benefit,  life  which  death  ended  :  in  His  case  life 
was  not  so  much  for  philanthropy  as  for  salvation 
by  the  surrender  of  it.  *  We  behold  Jesus,  because 
of  the  suffering  of  death  crowned  with  glory  and 
honour,  that  by  the  grace  of  God  He  should  taste 
death  for  every  man  '  (Heb.  ii.  9). 

The  Apostles  were  to  be  witnesses — martiires — 
if  need  be,  martyrs  in  our  sense ;  but  death  in  bear- 
ing witness  was  not  to  be  sought  as  an  object 
They  were  to  live  as  long  as  they  might  in  order 


WITNESS  OF  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  JESUS    41 

to  labour.  Their  Master  instructed  them,  '  If  they 
persecute  you  in  one  city,  flee  to  another.'  But  He 
Himself  sought  death  as  His  mission.  *  He  sted- 
fastly  set  His  face  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem.'  '  I  have 
a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I 
straitened  till  it  be  accomplished!'  When  the  hour 
of  death  drew  near,  a  glorious  vision  cheered  Him 
on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration.  What  was  the 
theme  when  Moses  and  Elijah  conversed  with  Him? 
Not  the  joys  of  heaven,  but  the  woes  of  earth  ;  not 
the  gorgeous  triumph  awaiting  Him  in  the  skies, 
but  the  agonizing  path  to  the  dark  and  dolorous 
tomb.  They  '  spake  of  His  decease  which  He  was 
about  to  accomplish  at  Jerusalem.'  Why,  at  the 
hour  of  His  greatest  glory  on  earth,  select  as  a 
theme  the  hour  of  His  deepest  humiliation  ?  The 
special  importance  thus  given  to  His  decease  was 
confirmed  by  the  voice  from  heaven  :  '  This  is  My 
Son,  My  chosen,  My  beloved,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased;  hear  ye  Him'  (Luke  ix.  28-35;  Matt. 
xvii.  5).  Is  there  any  adequate  explanation  of  such 
emphatic  references  to  His  death,  except  that  given 
by  the  Atonement  ? 

Those  sufferings  cannot  be  accounted  for  by  the 
natural  result  of  the  enmity  of  wicked  men,  pro- 
voked by  His  reproofs.  He  knew  from  the  first 
what  to  expect.  Objectors  say, '  Christ  simply  came 
into  collision  with  the  world's  evil,  and  bore  the 
penalty  of  that  daring  ;  He  approached  the  whirling 
wheel,  and  was  torn  to  pieces.'     But  this  has  been 


42  ATONEMENT 

done  by  all  martyrs.  Why  are  they  not  called 
'  saviours '  ?  They  contended  with  the  world's  evil, 
as  He  did,  and  were  vanquished.  They  were  crushed 
by  the  rqtating  wheel,  but  had  no  power  to  check 
it,  so  as  to  save  themselves  and  others.  But  He 
who  calmed  the  raging  sea  and  raised  the  dead 
could  have  overcome  all  forces  of  Nature  or  evil 
men,  yet  He  allowed  Himself  to  be  crucified.  '  No 
one  taketh  My  life  away  from  Me,  but  I  lay  it 
down  of  Myself  (Matt.  xxvi.  S^;  John  x.  i8; 
xviii.  II  ;  xix.  ii). 

His  sufferings  were  not  attributed  by  Himself  or 
His  Apostles  to  His  enemies,  except  as  instruments ; 
but  to  the  '  determinate  counsel  of  God '  (Acts  ii. 
23  ;  iv.  24-38).  When  betrayed  He  said, '  The  cup 
which  My  Father  hath  given  Me  shall  I  not  drink  it  ?' 
On  the  day  of  resurrection  and  on  the  eve  of 
ascension  He  reminded  the  disciples  that  it  had 
'  behoved  Him  to  suffer,'  as  predicted  (Luke  xxiv. 
7,  25-27,  44).  His  sufferings  at  the  hands  of  men 
were  not  unavoidable.  He  might  easily  have 
escaped  from  Gethsemane.  He  said  to  Peter  He 
could  have  summoned  legions  of  angels  to  His 
rescue.  To  Pilate  He  said,  '  Thou  wouldest  have 
no  power  against  Me,  except  it  were  given  thee 
from  above' (John  xix.  11). 

^'^^  His  sufferings  were  not  chiefly  those  of  the  body. 

r       Other  martyrs  to  malice  have  died   rapturously. 

\.    Bodily  torture  has  brightened  the  victor's  torch. 
^»The  agony  of  Gethsemane,  the  desponding  cry  of 


WITNESS  OF  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  JESUS    43 

Calvary,  did  not  result  from  men.  *  It  pleased  the 
Lord  to  bruise  Him.'  He  made  '  His  soul  an  offering 
for  sin'  (Is.  liii.  10 ;  i  Pet.  ii.  24).  It  was  not  the 
being  crushed  by  a  wheel  which  was  still  to  go  on 
crushing  those  who  oppose  men's  wickedness,  but 
it  was  the  arresting  of  the  wheel  of  retributive 
justice  which  otherwise  would  destroy  sinners. 
'  His  death  was  His  triumph  over  the  world's  evil. 
It  was  not  the  triumph  of  a  whirling  wheel !  He 
was  not  conflicting  with  a  physical  or  social  law, 
and  paying  the  penalty  of  His  daring.  He  was 
magnifying  the  moral  law  and  gaining  the  eternal 
rewards  of  obedience  unto  death.  He  was  not 
helpless  in  the  embraces  of  an  infernal  machine. 
His  cross  was  the  weapon  of  His  warfare  and  the 
means  of  His  victory.' 

Some  of  His  sufferings  were  incident  to  humanity. 
His  physical  nature  endured  bodily  pain.  His 
social  nature  suffered  by  ingratitude,  hatred,  and 
betrayal.  His  intellectual  and  moral  nature  suf- 
fered temptation,  conflict,  depression.  His  culture 
increased  His  sensitiveness.  His  purity  was  shocked 
by  contact  with  wickedness.  His  sympathy  shared 
the  sorrows  of  others.  His  divine  love  grieved  over 
the  evils  present  and  future  which  sin  entailed.  The 
illustration  of  the  basest  depravity  in  men's  treat- 
ment of  Himself  intensified  the  sorrow  of  His  death. 

But  this  in  a  lower  degree  was  '  common  to  men.' 
He  suffered  grief  peculiar  to  Himself  There  was 
an  anticipation  of  death  marked  by  a  sadness  not 


44  ATONEMENT 

often  felt  by  His  weakest  followers.  Death  in  itself 
could  not  have  been  shrunk  from  by  Him  who  was 
'  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life.'  Why  should  He 
say,  '  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  even  unto 
death ; '  enough  to  break  His  heart  and  end  His 
life  ?  Why  should  He  entreat  again  and  again, 
'  O  My  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass 
from  Me '  ?  Why  on  the  cross  exclaim,  *  My  God, 
My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me  ? '  (Matt.  xxvi. 
37-39  ;  xxvii.  46). 

He  who  said  to  His  Father,  '  I  glorified  Thee  on 
the  earth,  having  accomplished  the  work  which 
Thou  hast  given  Me  to  do,'  did  not  groan  under 
conscious  neglect  of  duty.  If  Christian  faith,  even 
when  linked  with  the  memory  of  aggravated  guilt, 
has  met  death  with  composure,  could  the  spotless 
One  shrink  from  that  which  multitudes  of  martyrs 
have  met  with  jubilant  songs  ?  He  invoked  Omni- 
potence. '  If  it  be  possible ! '  If  so  many  miracles 
for  others,  why  not  one  for  '  the  Beloved  Son '  ? 
Why  was  not  this  particular  cup  allowed  to  pass 
when  no  circumstances  could  hinder,  no  justice 
forbad,  and  the  Sufferer  might  have  been  spared 
without  injury  to  any,  with  benefit  to  all  ?  Why, 
His  death  was  to  redeem  ? 

Consider  the  facts.  An  innocent  Man,  greatest 
of  philanthropists,  the  Son  of  God — yet  chief  of 
sufferers :  not  by  irresistible  forces,  but  by  divine 
appointment:  for  sins  not  His  own.  It  was  more 
than  sympathy;  it  was  Substitution.     As  our  Sin- 


WITNESS  OF  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  JESUS    45 

bearer,  though  He  could  not  take  the  .guilt,  He 
bore  the  penalty.  He  carried  our  burden,  not  to 
share  it  with  us,  but  to  release  us  from  it.  '  Christ 
redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  having  be- 
come a  curse  for  us '  (John  xvii.  4  ;  Gal.  iii.  13). 

He  allowed  Himself  to  feel  the  pressure  of  God's 
wrath  against  sin,  that  God's  love  might  be  revealed 
towards  sinners.  As  God's  displeasure  must  be 
felt  towards  those  who  break  His  laws,  He,  for 
a  short  season,  and  for  them,  experienced  the  hiding 
of  His  face  and  so  endured  the  worst  penalty  of 
transgression.  To  the  perfectly  holy,  to  the  well- 
beloved  Son  of  God,  this  must  have  been  an  agony 
beyond  what  the  best  of  imperfect  beings  can  know. 
/"In  proportion  as  God  was  consciously  present 
/habitually  to  the  mind  of  Christ,  the  least  with-f"^ 
I  drawal  of  that  Presence  was  enough  to  break  th^ 
^  heart  Was  not  this  the  immediate  cause  of  death  ? 
With  similar  bodily  wounds  victims  have  lingered 
_.days  on  the  cross.  His  speedy  death  surprised 
the  .authorities.  What  broke  His  mighty  heart? 
He  might  have  exulted  that  the  greatest  work 
ever  achieved  on  earth  was  completed.  He  said 
to  His  disciples,  '  If  ye  loved  Me,  ye  would  rejoice 
because  I  go  to  the  Father.*  Why  did  not  He 
Himself  rejoice?  Because  He  was  bearing  our 
sins.  This  alone  could  explain  the  bloody  sweat 
and  agonising  cry.  If  He  died  only  as  a  martyr, 
could  God  desert  suffering  innocence  ?  Or,  if  Jesus 
merely  imagined  Himself  forsaken,  shall  we  say 


4^  ATONEMENT 

that  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  Faith,  its  chief 
Exemplar,  lost  His  faith  and  fortitude  in  circum- 
stances in  which  even  imperfect  men  have  sung 
their  very  paeans  of  victory,  and  that  He  wrong- 
fully complained  of  the  withdrawal  of  His  Father's 
face  when,  if  His  sufferings  were  simply  personal, 
that  face  must  have  been  shedding  its  fullest  light 
upon  Him  ?  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  cry  ? 
If  the  Saviour  was  not  in  error,  there  was  a  sense 
in  which  He  was  forsaken.  What  is  the  sense? 
If  it  is  daring  impiety  to  suspect  that  He  was 
^  abandoned,  if  His  death  were  private,  and  not 
^  vicarious,  in  what  light  must  that  abandonment 
be  regarded?  This  question  demands  an  answer 
that  shall  preserve  untainted  the  innocence,  faith, 
and  courage  of  Christ,  and  preserve  unimpeached 
the  love  and  faithfulness  of  the  Father.  No  such 
answer  can  be  given  save  one,  He  was  wounded  for 
our  transgressions.  '  It  was  on  the  cross  that  Christ 
was  working  out  the  problem  of  reconciling  the 
bestowment  of  mercy  on  sinners  with  the  main- 
tenance of  justice  ;  establishing  an  empire  of  grace 
on  the  foundation  of  law;  blending  into  everlasting 
concord  every  element  in  the  regal  and  paternal 
relationships  of  God,  and  by  sufferings  inconceivable, 
supplying  securities  for  ever  irrefragable,  that  the 
pardon  of  sinners  should  never  bring  into  contempt 
the  laws  of  heaven,  but  should  impart  to  them  a 
sanctity  and  impressiveness  unfelt  before  *.* 
*  Atonement  in  relation  to  pardon.    Enoch  Mellor,  D.D.,  p.  39. 


WITNESS  OF  THE  SUFFERINGS  OF  JESUS    47 

If  the  sufferings  of  Christ  were  endured  only 
as  an  example  of  patience,  multitudes  of  sufferers 
have  furnished  similar  patterns  ;  if  not  to  the  same 
degree,  yet  of  greater  bodily  torture,  and  of  much 
longer  continuance.  If  to  exhibit  love,  others  have 
also  shown  love  in  suffering,  but  far  more  impres- 
sively and  efficiently  when  endured  for  the  purpose 
of  relieving  or  rescuing  others,  and  not  as  a  mere 
exhibition,  otherwise  useless.  If  Christ's  sufferings 
were  for  an  example,  they  have  an  aspect  terrible 
to  all  who  desire  to  imitate  Him,  showing  that  a 
faultless  life  may  have  the  most  disastrous  close, 
that  endeavours  to  please  God  may  be  attended  by 
the  sternest  signs  of  disapproval,  an^  that  God 
seemed  rather  to  frown  than  smile  on  His  tender- 
ness towards  us  and  His  endeavours  to  show  how 
much  God  loves  us. 

*  Surely  He  hath  borne  our  griefs.  If  this  is  not 
the  explanation  of  His  desertion  on  the  cross,  then 
the  cross,  instead  of  declaring  that  God  has  not 
forsaken  the  human  race,  notwithstanding  all  its 
crimes,  seems  to  be  an  appalling  testimony  to  all 
nations  and  to  all  centuries,  that  He  may  forsake, 
in  the  hour  of  their  sorest  need,  those  who  have 
perfectly  loved  and  obeyed  Him.  Either  the  death 
of  Christ  was  the  Atonement  for  human  sin,  or  else 
it  fills  me  with  terror  and  despair  ^' 

»  The  Atonement.    R.  W.  Dale,  D.D.,  p.  63. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PETER. 

St.  Peter  was  eminent  among  the  disciples. 
With  James  and  John,  the  specially  favoured  three, 
he  enjoyed  peculiar  advantages  in  intimate  know- 
ledge of  the  Saviour,  and  had  full  opportunity  of 
knowing  what  He  taught.  His  name  was  Christ's 
recognition  of  capacity.  To  him  were  specially 
entrusted  '  the  keys  of  the  kingdom,'  as  the  first 
to  preach  both  to  Jews  and  Gentiles.  He  was, 
therefore,  a  competent  witness  to  the  teaching  of 
his  divine  Master. 

On  the  very  first  opportunity,  on  the  Day  of 
Pentecost,  when  'filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,'  he 
spoke  of  Christ  '  crucified  and  slain,'  but '  by  God 
raised  up,'  as  having  '  shed  forth  this '  miraculous 
gift.  He  said,  '  Repent  ye,  and  be  baptized  every 
one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  laito  the 
remission  of  your  sins  '  (Acts  ii.  38).  '  The  things 
which  God  foreshowed  by  the  mouth  of  all  the 
prophets,  that  His   Christ   should  suffer,  He  thus 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PETER  49 

fulfilled.  Repent  ye  therefore,  that  your  sins  may 
be  blotted  out'  (Acts  iii.  18,  19).  Thus  he  obeyed 
his  Lord's  last  instruction,  '  that  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  His  Name, 
beginning  at  Jerusalem '  (Luke  xxiv.  47).  So  also 
to  the  rulers, '  In  none  other  is  there  salvation  ;  for 
neither  is  there  any  other  name  under  heaven,  that 
is  given  among  men,  wherein  we  must  be  saved ' 
(Acts  iv.  la).  So  also  to  Gentiles  in  the  person  of 
the  Roman  soldier,  *  To  Him  bear  all  the  prophets 
witness,  that  through  His  Name  every  one  that 
believeth  on  Him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins* 
(Acts  X.  43). 

If  thus  he  preached  to  sinners,  so  also  he  in- 
structed saints,  '  Elect  in  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit,  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Concerning  which  salvation  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  which  was  in  them  (the  prophets)  testi- 
fied beforehand  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  the 
glories  that  should  follow.'  He  reminded  believers 
that  they  were  '  redeemed  from  their  vain  manner 
of  life,  not  with  silver  or  gold,  but  with  precious 
blood,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without 
spot,  even  the  blood  of  Christ.'  Redeemed,  not 
by  teaching  and  example  merely  or  chiefly,  im- 
proving their  own  nature;  not  by  life  lived  for 
them  merely,  but  by  life  surrendered  for  them, 
emphatically  by  this,  'even  the  blood  of  Christ.' 
'Delivered  from  their  old  heathen  life  because 
Christ  atoned  for  their  old  heathen  sins '  ...  by 

D 


50  ATONEMENT 

*  the  sacrifice  which  created  new  relations  between 
men  and  God '  (i  Pet.  i.  i,  2,  lo,  ii,  i8,  19). 

In  exhorting  cruelly  treated  slaves  to  patient 
endurance,  he  said,  '  Christ  also  suffered  for  you, 
leaving  you  an  example  that  ye  should  follow  His 
steps.'  The  suffering  as  an  Atonement  gave  occa- 
sion to  its  lesson  of  patience.  So  the  crew  of  a 
lifeboat  do  not  go  out  to  a  wreck  to  display 
courage,  but  to  save  the  perishing,  though  in  doing 
this  they  set  an  example.  Peter  adds  this  explan- 
ation— '  Who  His  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  His 
body  upon  the  tree ;  by  whose  stripes  ye  were 
healed.'  He,  the  innocent,  bare  '  our  sins,'  i.e.  their 
penalty  (see  Ez.  xviii.  20) ;  not  only  by  mental 
sympathy,  but  *  in  His  body^  by  His  death  ;  as 
one  condemned  '  on  the  tree ' ;  so  that  we,  for 
whose  guilt  He  suffered,  having  died  in  Him  our 
Surety,  might  be  delivered  from  death  and  sin  its 
cause,  and  '  live  unto  righteousness '  (i  Pet.  ii.  21-25). 

'  Christ  suffered  for  sins  once,  the  righteous  for 
the  unrighteous,  that  He  might  bring  us  to  God.' 
Not  with  us,  as  merely  sharing  our  suffering,  but 
for  us,  that  we  might  escape  it :  the  blameless  One 
on  whom  retributive  justice  had  no  claim,  that  we, 
deserving  punishment,  might  be  saved  through  His 
suffering  on  our  behalf.  Thus  redeemed,  we  join 
with  St.  Peter — '  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  begat  us  again  unto 
a  living  hope  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead '  (i  Pet.  i.  3-1 1). 


CHAPTER   IX. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  JOHN. 

If  'he  that  loveth  not  knoweth  not,'  conversely 
he  that  loveth  much  knoweth  much.  John,  who 
was  specially  designated  as  '  the  disciple  whom 
Jesus  loved,'  must  have  known,  not  only  by  long 
and  close  companionship,  but  by  heart-sympathy, 
what  was  the  main  purpose  of  his  divine  Teacher. 

In  his  Gospel  narrative,  containing  Christ's  own 
testimony,  the  Evangelist's  belief  in  the  Atonement 
is  expressed  in  the  explanation  he  gives  of  the 
Lord's  reference  to  His  being  lifted  up  for  salva- 
tion as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  for  the  cure  of 
the  wounded  who  looked  to  it  in  faith.  '  For  God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  Him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  For  God  sent  the 
Son  into  the  world,  that  the  world  should  be  saved 
through  Him'  (John  iii.  i6,  17).  If,  as  some  con- 
sider, these  words  are  not  Christ's,  they  are  the 
explanation  of  His  words  by  the  beloved  disciple, 
D  2 


53  ATONEMENT 

who  must  have  learned  from  his  divine  Lord  that 
it  was  the  love  of  God  for  our  sinful  world  which 
prompted  this  gift  of  His  beloved  Son,  who  was 
lifted  up  on  the  cross  to  effect  eternal  salvation  for 
all  who  trust  in  Him. 

In  addition  to  St.  John's  Gospel  we  possess  a 
letter  written  in  his  old  age,  in  which  he  says, '  If 
we  walk  in  the  light,  as  He  is  in  the  light,  we 
have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  the  blood  of 
Jesus  His  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.'  Is  this 
cleansing  moral  reformation  only,  or  is  it  deliver- 
ance from  guilt?  If  the  former,  walking  in  the  light 
accomplishes  it.  If  the  teaching,  example  and  love 
of  Christ  effect  salvation  simply  by  influencing 
our  moral  nature,  these  constitute  the  light  which 
drives  away  the  darkness.  If  so,  why  does  not  the 
Apostle  say,  *  and  the  light  in  which  Christ  dwells 
and  sheds  forth  in  His  teaching,  this  cleanseth  us 
from  all  remaining  imperfection '  ?  Why  say,  '  the 
blood  cleanseth'?  Is  not  the  blood  that  cleanseth 
in  ver.  7  related  to  the  forgiveness  in  ver.  9  ?  (i  John 
i.  7-9). 

The  same  theme  of  forgiveness  is  continued  in 
the  following  chapter.  '  If  any  man  sin,  we  have 
an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous.'  Surely  the  meaning  suggested  is  that 
we  are  forgiven  through  the  mediation  of  Christ. 
He  who  taught  '  God  is  Love '  represents  men  as 
needing  an  Advocate,  who  in  this  passage  does  not 
plead  with  us,  to  persuade  us  to  become  good,  but 


V 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  JOHH  53 


-wUh^Qod,  against  whom  we  have  sinned,  to  bestow 
the  forgiveness  just  before  promised  (1  John  ii.  i). 

Of  this  Advocate  St.  John  adds,  '  And  He  is  the 
Propitiation  for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours  only,  but 
also  for  the  whole  world.'  It  is  as  Propitiation 
that  He  is  Advocate  with  the  Father,  who  is  '  faith- 
ful and  righteous  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.'  Pardon  re- 
sults from  the  advocacy,  and  this  forms  the  Pro-  .H 
pitiation.  *  To  propitiate  always  refers  to  that  which 
changes  the  disposition  of  the  person  offended ; 
and  when  used  in  relation  to  offences  against  the 
divine  law,  always  describes  the  means  by  which 
the  sin  is  supposed  to  be  covered,  in  order  that 
the  divine  forgiveness  might  be  secured  V  The 
result  is  not  only  pardon,  but  purity.  '  He  is  faith- 
ful and  righteous  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.*  '  I  write  unto 
you,  my  little  children,  because  your  sins  are  for- 
given you  for  His  name's  sake.'  Forgiveness,  not 
because  the  sin  has  been  renounced  and  a  new  life 
in  the  light  of  God  commenced,  but  for  the  name 
of  Him  who  is  the  Propitiation  for  our  sins,  and 
our  Advocate  with  the  Father  (i  John  ii.  a,  12). 

The  same  subject  is  continued  in  the  third  chap- 
ter— '  Hereby  know  we  love,  because  He  laid  down 
His  life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives 
for  the  brethren.'  Life  is  to  be  risked  or  surren- 
dered for  the  brethren  in  protecting  them  from 
*  T^  Atonement,  by  Dr.  Dale.    Lect.  V,  p.  i6a. 


54  ATONEMENT 

harm,  because  Christ  so  laid  down  His  life  for  us : 
an  objective  benefit,  and  not  merely  a  subjective 
influence  (i  John  iii.  16). 

The  Apostle  cannot  let  the  subject  drop.  In  the 
next  chapter  we  read,  '  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we 
loved  God,  but  that  He  loved  us,  and  sent  His 
Son  to  be  the  Propitiation  for  our  sins.  If  God  so 
loved  us,  we  also  ought  to  love  one  another.'  A 
propitiation  was  needed  :  and  this  was  provided  by 
God  Himself,  and  such  love  should  prompt  us  in 
our  conduct  to  others  (i  John  iv.  9-1 1). 

Again  in  the  fifth  chapter  he  concludes  his  letter 
with  the  same  testimony.  '  The  witness  that  God 
hath  borne  concerning  His  Son  is  this — that  God 
gave  unto  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  His 
Son.  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  the  life  ;  he  that 
hath  not  the  Son  of  God  hath  not  the  life.  These 
things  have  I  written  unto  you,  that  ye  may  know 
that  ye  have  eternal  life,  even  unto  you  that  believe 
on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God '  (i  John  v.  10-13.) 

Do  not  these  words  of  the  beloved  disciple 
teach  that  Christ's  death  meant  more  than  moral 
influence,  and  not  merely  his  opinion,  but  the  deep 
feeling  of  his  heart,  the  ground  of  his  confidence, 
the  constraining  motive  of  his  obedience  and  in- 
centive to  his  zeal?  Such  convictions  harmonize 
with  the  songs  of  heaven  which  he  was  privileged 
to  hear  when  he  saw  the  Saviour  in  glory  before 
the  throne  :  '  a  Lamb  as  though  it  had  been  slain : ' 
who  said  to  him,  'Fear  not,  I  am  He  that  liveth 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  JOHN  5S 

and  was  dead ;  *  in  whose  presence  the  glorious 
company  of  heaven  '  sing  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou 
wast  slain,  and  didst  purchase  unto  God  with  Thy 
blood  men  of  every  tribe.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  hath  been  slain  to  receive  the  power  and 
riches,  and  glory  and  blessing.  Unto  Him  that 
loveth  us,  and  loosed  us  from  our  sins  by  His 
blood,  be  the  glory  and  the  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever.  Amen.  These  are  they  which  washed  their 
robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of 
God ;  and  they  serve  Him  day  and  night  in  His 
temple'  (Rev.  i.  5,  6  ;  v.  6-13 ;  vii.  13-15). 

This  presence  of  the  Son  of  God  in  glory  as  the 
ever-living  Advocate  and  Saviour  illustrates  the 
striking  statement  that  He  Himself,  and  not  merely 
His  death,  is  the  abiding  Atonement.  'We  /lave 
an  Advocate  with  the  Father. .  .  .  He  is  the  Propiti- 
ation for  our  sins.  .  .  .  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we 
loved  God,  but  that  He  loved  us,  and  sent  His 
Son,  the  Propitiation  for  our  sins'  (i  John  ii.  i,  2 ; 
iv.  10).  In  emphasizing  the  reiterated  testimony 
of  the  Apostles  respecting  His  death  we  must  not 
separate  this,  as  the  act  of  sacrifice,  from  Himself 
as  the  Propitiation.  It  was  not  merely  the  human 
nature  which  suffered,  but  the  undivided  Person  of 
the  God-Man  who  still  exists.  The  Propitiation  is 
not  the  death,  but  He  who  died,  and  now  lives  and 
reigns.  It  is  not  an  event  which  happened  at 
Jerusalem  nearly  two  thousand  years  ago,  but  it  is 


/"\ 


^^. 


S6  ATONEMENT 

the  eternal  Son  of  God  who  became  incarnate  that 
He  might  suffer  for  sin  and  become  an  undying, 
unchanging  Advocate,  our  Representative  in  heaven, 
ever  presenting  Himself  as  the  Atonement  for  sin. 
As  He  was  eternal  when  He  suffered,  He,  ever 
living,  is  an  eternal  Propitiation.  It  is  offered  for 
us  daily.  '  Who  is  he  that  shall  condemn  ?  It  is 
Christ  that  died,  yea  rather  that  was  raised  from 
the  dead,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us.*  *  If, 
while  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  unto  God 
through  the  death  of  His  Son,  much  more,  being 
reconciled,  shall  we  be  saved  by  His  life'  (Rom. 
V.  lo ;  viii.  34). 

It  is  Christ  Himself  who  propitiates.  Not  He 
apart  from  His  sufferings,  nor  the  sufferings  apart 
from  His  Person :  not  the  sufferings  past  and  gone, 
but  the  Sufferer  now  glorified,  who  *  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession,  having  obtained  eternal  redemp- 
tion' (Heb.  ix.  12).  'I  am  He  that  liveth,  and 
was  dead,  yea,  and  am  alive  for  evermore.'  The 
temporary  death  efficaciously  abides  in  the  ever- 
lasting Saviour,  who  is  still  present  to  us,  and 
even  more  accessible  to  those  who  believe  than 
He  was  to  those  who  saw  Him  as  Man  on  the 
earth  \  In  heaven  He  still  atones.  As  our  High 
Priest  He  daily  offers  Himself  to  God  for  us. 
It  is  an  Atonement  ever  going  on.  He  is  en- 
throned,  and   is   '  worthy  to   take   the  book  *   of 

*  Doctrine  of  the  Atonement.    President  Edwards,  D.D.,  pp.  130- 
136. 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  JOHN  57 

universal  government,  destiny,  salvation.  Through- 
out eternity  His  glorified  Presence  will  be  to  the 
innumerable  multitude  around  the  throne  the 
symbol,  guarantee,  certainty  of  their  everlasting 
safety,  and  the  theme  of  their  everlasting  song. 
Difficulties  felt  by  some  in  receiving  the  doctrine  of 
Atonement  would  be  lessened  by  contemplating, 
not  so  much  the  death  at  Jerusalem  as  the  Pro- 
pitiation, but  the  Saviour,  who  having  died,  ever 
lives  to  save  to  the  uttermost. 


t/' 


CHAPTER   X. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  JAMES. 

His  silence  respecting  Atonement  might  com- 
mend the  omission  of  his  Epistle  from  our  argument. 
But  this  might  seem  evasion  of  a  difficulty.  But 
the  omission  by  one  witness  or  historian  of  a  fact 
clearly  attested  by  others,  is  no  disproof.  So  a 
theological  writer  or  preacher  who  omits  from 
some  treatise  or  sermon  an  important  doctrine  is 
not  chargeable  with  non-belief  of  it  His  special 
purpose  may  not  need  such  reference. 

So  with  St.  James.  His  subject  was  not  doctrine, 
but  duty;  not  the  Atonement  itself,  but  its  results. 
He  warns  against  false  reliance  on  faith  as  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  practical  righteousness  which  is  the 
outcome  of  it.  It  was  surely  not  undervaluing 
salvation  by  faith  when  he  insisted  that  it  is  always 
fruitful.     This  evidences  its  truth. 

An  argument  for  Atonement  has  been  drawn 
from  this  very  silence.  The  warning  against  a 
rising  heresy  was  proof  of  the  prevalence  of  the 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  JAMES  59 

doctrine  it  perverted.  Because  the  Apostolic 
Church  taught  justification  by  faith,  some  false 
professors,  to  cover  their  inconsistent  conduct, 
taught  the  perilous  notion  that  faith  supersedes 
righteousness,  and  is  a  valid  excuse  for  sin.  So 
St.  James  blew  the  trumpet-warning — '  What  doth 
it  profit,  if  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  but  have  not 
works  ?  Can  that  faith  save  him  ?  For  as  the 
body  apart  from  the  spirit  is  dead,  even  so  faith 
apart  from  works  is  dead '  (James  ii.  14,  a6). 

Dr.  Dale,  in  an  exhaustive  argument,  shows  that 
the  false  views  against  which  this  Apostle  con- 
tended could  not  have  prevailed  if  it  had  been  the 
doctrine  of  the  Church  that  salvation  consisted  in 
works  resulting  from  moral  influence.  The  absentee 
of  works  would  have  been  self-condemnation  for 
those  who  proclaimed  salvation  by  works  ;  but  was 
not  inconsistent  with  the  profession  of  salvation  by 
faith.  Therefore  this  reproof  indicated  the  preva- 
lence of  teaching  which  exalted  faith  as  the  means 
of  salvation,  and  which  was  perverted  to  mean  that 
the  profession  of  faith  would  save  in  the  absence  of 
works.  The  inference  is  that  Christ  was  habitually 
preached  as  providing  forgiveness,  and  faith  as 
securing  individual  salvation.  *  By  grace  ye  are 
saved,  through  faith,  not  by  works ' :  this  was  the 
Gospel ;  '  By  faith  ye  are  saved  without  any  works 
as  its  result  and  evidence ' ;  this  was  the  heresy:  but 
the  heresy  bore  witness  to  the  gospel  as  the  actual 
teaching  of  the  Apostles.     '  Had  the  early  Church 


6o  ATONEMENT 

been  taught  that  the  Christian  salvation  is  only  a 
salvation  from  sin,  it  is  inconceivable  that  any 
persons  bearing  the  Christian  name  would  have 
supposed  that  they  might  be  saved  by  faith  with- 
out works.  Salvation  must  have  been  represented 
as  something  else  than  a  change  in  their  personal 
life  and  character,  effected  by  the  revelation  of  God 
in  Christ  V 

The  doctrine  of  James,  instead  of  contradicting, 
sustains  that  of  Paul  when  he  wrote  to  the  Ephe- 
sians  (ii.  8,  9),  '  By  grace  have  ye  been  saved 
through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves :  it  is 
the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  that  no  man  should 
glory.*  This  verse  must  not  be  separated  from  the 
sentence  immediately  following,  in  which  St.  Paul 
affirms  that  works  inevitably  follow  faith ;  inasmuch 
as  the  grace  which  saves,  so  changes  the  heart  that 
good  works  are  produced  ;  but  these,  being  results 
of  God's  own  workmanship,  can  never  be  a  cause 
of  boasting,  or  weaken  the  truth  that  we  are  saved 
by  grace  through  faith.  *  For  we  are  His  work- 
manship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  for  good  works, 
which  God  afore  prepared  that  we  should  walk  in 
them '  (Eph.  ii.  10).  Thus  James  confirms  Paul 
in  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by  faith  in  Christ's 
Atonement,  and  with  him  insists  that  this  is  verified 
by  the  righteousness  which  it  is  intended  and  cal- 
culated to  produce,  and  without  which  it  is  worth- 
less and  false. 

*  TAe  Atonement,  by  Dr.  Dale.     Lect.  V. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PAUL. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  Saul  of  Tarsus  was 
prejudiced  by  personal  friendship.  At  the  time  of 
Christ's  death  he  was  a  bigoted  devotee  of  Pharisaic 
Judaism  ;  proud  of  his  own  legal  righteousness,  and 
clinging  to  the  current  expectation  of  a  worldly 
kingdom.  Yet,  from  a  bitter  enemy  of  the  new 
sect  he  became  its  most  able  and  zealous  champion. 
Whence  obtained  he  such  assurance  of  these  hated 
doctrines  that  he  '  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things '  in 
publishing  them  ? 

Luke,  the  physician,  his  intimate  friend  and 
companion,  relates  how,  on  his  cruel  mission  to 
Damascus,  he  was  converted  by  a  vision  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  (Acts  ix.  i-aa).  St.  Paul  himself  related 
this  to  the  angry  crowd  at  Jerusalem,  and  to  King 
Agrippa  at  Caesarea,  adding  the  special  commission 
given  him  by  Christ — *  To  this  end  have  I  appeared 
unto  thee,  to  appoint  thee  a  minister  and  a  witness, 
to  turn  them  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God, 


V 


6a  ATONEMENT 

that  they  may  receive  remission  of  sins ^  and  an  in- 
heritance among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith 
in  Me.'  From  the  first  he  was  commanded  to  make 
known  forgiveness  in  the  name  of  the  crucified 
Christ  (Acts  xxvi.  16-18). 

At  once  admitted  into  the  society  of  believers 
at  Damascus,  he  heard  their  personal  testimony, 
and  could  learn  all  their  doctrines  and  practices. 
A  keen  lawyer  and  judge  of  character,  he  must 
have  been  fully  convinced  of  their  sincerity,  and 
accurately  knew  what  they  taught.  At  once  he 
bore  testimony  with  them.  '  Straitway  in  the  syna- 
gogues he  proclaimed  Jesus,  that  He  is  the  Son  of 
God.'  Luke  goes  on  to  relate  how  at  Antioch  Paul 
said — 'Through  this  man  is  proclaimed  remission 
of  sins ',  and  by  Him  every  one  that  belie veth  is 
justified  from  all  thhigs^  from  which  ye  could  not 
be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses '  (Acts  xiii.  36-39). 
Salvation,  not  the  subsequent  reward  of  amended 
life,  but  the  immediate  effect  of  accepting  Christ, 
whom  God  had  raised  from  the  dead.  To  the 
anxious  inquiry  of  the  jailer  he  said, '  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.'  Pardon 
was  offered,  accepted,  rejoiced  in,  at  once,  not  a 
reward  of  amendment,  but  by  simple  faith  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  (Acts  xvi.  30-34). 

His  farewell  address  to  the  elders  of  Ephesus 
shows  what  his  doctrine  had  been  there  during 
three  years.  *  Ye  know  how  I  testified  repentance 
toward   God,  and   faith  toward   our   Lord  Jesus 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  63 

Christ  .  .  .  Take  heed  ...  to  feed  the  church  of 
God,  which  He  purchased  with  His  own  blood.'  He 
was  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem,  expecting  bonds  and 
afflictions,  but  he  did  '  not  count  life  dear  to  himself,' 
if  only  he  '  might  accomplish  the  ministry  he  had 
received  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  Gospel 
of  the  grace  of  God '  (Acts  xx.  21-38). 

In  his  Epistles,  St.  Paul  reiterates  with  emphasis 
the  great  theme  of  his  preaching. 

To  the  Corinthians — '  Christ  sent  me  to  preach 
the  gospel,  not  in  wisdom  of  words,  lest  the  cross 
of  Christ  should  be  made  void.  We  preach  Christ 
crucified^  Christ  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom 
of  God.  I  determined  not  to  know  anything  among 
you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  Him  crucified.'  He 
sternly  reproved  those  who  said,  '  I  am  of  Paul,  and 
I  of  ApoUos,  and  I  of  Christ.  Is  Christ  divided  ? 
was  Paul  crucified  for  you  ? '  If  Christ's  death  was 
for  them  by  promoting  moral  culture,  then  Paul's 
sufferings,  by  which  he  '  died  daily,'  were  for  them 
in  the  same  sense.  But  this  idea  he  indignantly 
repudiated.  Christ  alone  died  for  them.  It  was 
unlike  all  other  deaths,  because  it  was  an  atoning 
sacrifice  (i  Cor.  i.  12,  13,  17,  23,  24;  ii-  2).  CAj 

He  prefaced  his  great  argument  for  the  Resur-  ^ 
rection,  by  again  explicitly  asserting  the  truth  he 
was  commissioned  to  preach.  '  For  I  delivered  unto 
you  first  of  all  that  which  also  I  received,  how  that 
Christ  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scriptures' : 
not  only  and  not  chiefly  to  persuade  men  to  cease 


^ 


\ 


64  ATONEMENT 

from  sin,  but  as  bearing  its  penalty  and  securing 
pardon  as  a  necessary  condition.  An  innocent  man 
unjustly  accused  may  be  said  to  die  for  the  real 
culprit  who  escapes ;  so  Christ  died  *  for  us,'  having 
voluntarily  interposed  that  we  might  be  saved.  The 
good  news  which  Paul  had  received  from  Christ 
Himself,  which  the  Corinthians  had  believed,  by 
which  they  hoped  for  salvation,  '  in  which  they 
stood,'  without  which  their  '  faith  was  vain,'  having 
no  basis,  was  this, — '  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins ' 
(i  Cor.  XV.  1-3).  The  Resurrection  was  evidence 
of  the  acceptance  of  the  Sacrifice.  '  If  Christ  hath 
not  been  raised,  your  faith  is  vain  ;  ye  are  yet  in 
your  sins'  (i  Cor.  xv.  17).  But  why  should  faith 
be  rendered  useless  by  the  non-resurrection  of 
Christ,  if  He  saves  only  by  moral  influence  ?  This 
would  not  need  resurrection,  any  more  than  the 
moral  influence  of  any  other  teacher  or  martyr 
needs  it.  But  since  Christ  died  as  an  Atonement, 
His  resurrection  was  evidence  of  its  completion 
\and  acceptance. 

This,  as  already  shown,  was  the  great  truth  set 
forth  in  the  Holy  Supper,  the  obligation  to  observe 
which  Paul  had  specially  'received  of  the  Lord,' 
who  said,  '  This  cup  is  the  new  covenant  in  My 
blood.  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink 
the  cup,  ye  proclaim  the  Lord's  death '  (i  Cor.  xi. 
23,  26).  'The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is 
it  not  a  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The 
bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  a  communion  of 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  6$ 

the  body  of  Christ  ?  '  (i  Cor.  x.  i6).  Again  we  ask, 
if  salvation  is  chiefly  by  the  influence  of  Christ's 
example,  why  not  show  forth  His  life  rather  than 
His  death  ? 

He  thus  expressed  the  great  theme  of  his  ministry 
— '  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto 
Himself,  not  reckoning  unto  them  their  trespasses, 
and  committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation ' 
(2  Cor.  V.  18-21).  The  great  work  of  the  Christian 
ministry  is  to  reconcile  sinners  to  God,  who  recon- 
ciles the  world  /by  '  not  reckoning  unto  them  their 
trespasses'  This  sets  them  free  from  condemna- 
tion, opens  the  way  to  God,  inspires  hope,  and 
prompts  them  to  be  reconciled  to  Him  who  is  so 
ready  to  be  reconciled  to  them.  The  Atonement 
removes  man's  unrighteous  alienation  by  first  re- 
moving God's  righteous  displeasure. 

He  emphasizes  Atonement  in  these  almost  start- 
ling terms — '  Him  who  knew  no  sin  He  made  to 
be  sin  on  our  behalf;  that  we  might  become  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  Him.'  He,  the  sinless, 
took  the  place  of  us  sinners,  that  we,  the  sinful, 
might  be  accepted  by  God  on  the  ground  of  His 
righteousness,  and  by  faith  and  love  through  the 
operation  of  His  Spirit,  become  ourselves  righteous 
— '  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him '  (2  Cor.  v.  21}. 

As  to  the  motive  of  Christian  zeal  he  says,  '  The 
love  of  Christ  constraineth  us  :  He  died  for  all,  that 
they  which  live  should  no  longer  live  unto  them- 
selves, but  unto  Him  who  for  their  sakes  died  and 

yf^^  rill   '„,,„,; 


66  ATONEMENT 

rose  again  '  (2  Cor.  v.  14,  15).  The  love  of  Christ 
had  been  shown  in  human  s>jmpathy,  compassion, 
miracles  ;  but  His  love  in  dying  to  save  us  from 
death  is  the  impelling  motive.  His  death  was 
unlike  all  other.  It  was  representative  of_mankirid. 
He  died  for  all ;  and  theywHo  accept  the  mediation 
died  in  Him,  and  so  paid  the  penalty  of  law.  They 
now  share  in  the  resurrection,  and  their  new  life 
belongs  to  Him.  His  love  inspires  grateful  obedi- 
ence, sweetly  compels  glad  service,  constrains  to  a 
new  life,  not  of  self-pleasing,  but  of  pleasing  Him 
who  '  died  for  us  and  rose  again.' 

To  the  Romatis. — '  Justified  freely  by  His  grace 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus ; 
whom  God  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through 
faith,  by  His  blood,  that  He  might  Himself  be 
just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  hath  faith  in 
Jesus.  Being  therefore  justified  by  faith,  let  us 
have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly.  God  com- 
mendeth  His  own  love  toward  us,  in  that,  while 
we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  Being 
justified  by  His  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from  the 
wrath  of  God  through  Him.  While  we  were 
enemies  we  were  reconciled  to  God,  through  the 
death  of  His  Son.  We  also  rejoice  in  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  through  whom  we  have 
now  received  the  reconciliation.  The  wages  of  sin 
is  death,  but  the  free  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.    There  is  therefore  now  no 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  67 

condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus. 
He  spared  not  His  own  Son,  but  delivered  Him  up 
for  us  all.  Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge 
of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth.'  Here 
we  are  taught  that  God  forgives ;  and  in  the  next 
clause  that  it  is  through  the  Atonement.  '  Who 
is  he  that  shall  condemn  ?  It  is  Christ  Jesus  that 
died.'  The  death  of  the  Righteous  One  is  the 
ground  of  the  pardon  of  the  unrighteous  (Rom.  i. 
16;  iii.  20-26;  V.  i-ii  ;  vi.  23;  viii.  i,  32-34). 

To  the  Galatians. — *Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  gave 
Himself  for  our  sins.  The  Son  of  God  loved  me, 
and  gave  Himself  up  for  me.  Christ  redeemed  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  having  become  a  curse 
for  us ;  that  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the 
Spirit  through  faith.  God  sent  forth  His  Son,  born 
under  the  law,  that  He  might  redeem  them  which 
were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the 
adoption  of  sons  .  .  .  Far  be  it  from  me  to  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ '  (Gal.  i. 
3,  4;  ii.  20;  iii.  13,  14;  iv.  4,  5;  vi.  14). 

To  the  Ephesians. — *  Christ,  in  whom  we  have  our 
redemption  through  His  blood,  the  forgiveness  of 
our  trespasses.  God,  being  rich  in  mercy,  even  when 
we  were  dead  through  our  trespasses,  quickened  us 
together  with  Christ .  .  .  made  nigh  in  the  blood  of 
Christ. .  .  .  For  He  is  our  peace,  who  came  to  recon- 
cile both  unto  God  through  the  cross ;  through  Him 
we  have  our  access  in  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father.' 
believers  are  to  '  forgive  each  other,  even  as  God 
£  % 


\ 


68  ATONEMENT 

also  in  Christ  forgave  them.*  It  is  more  than 
moral  influence  when  we  forgive  the  faults  of 
others.  So  Christ  died  that  we  might  be  forgiven 
by  God.  *  Walk  in  love,  even  as  Christ  also  loved 
you,  and  gave  Himself  up  for  us,  an  offering  and  a 
sacrifice  to  God'  (Eph.  i.  7;  ii. 4-22  ;  iv.  32;  v.  2). 

To  the  Philippians. — '  Being  in  the  form  of  God, 
He  became  obedient  even  unto  the  death  of  the 
cross ;  wherefore  God  highly  exalted  Him,  and 
gave  unto  Him  the  name  which  is  above  every 
name.  For  whom  I  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things, 
that  I  may  gain  Christ ;  not  having  a  righteousness 
of  mine  own,  but  that  which  is  through  faith  in 
Christ'  (Phil.  ii.  6-1 1;  iii.  7-1 1).  If  Christ's  right- 
eousness was  not  one  of  Atonement,  why  should 
Paul  give  up  his  own,  which,  however  defective,  was 
better  than  nothing,  and  better  to  him  than  that 
of  any  one  else,  which  could  not  become  his  own 
unless  reckoned  to  his  account,  as  that  of  Christ  in 
the  Atonement  ? 

To  the  Colossians.^-^  In  whom  we  have  our  re- 
demption, the  forgiveness  of  our  sins  .  .  .  He  made 
peace  through  the  blood  of  His  cross,  through  Him 
to  reconcile  all  things  unto  Himself  .  .  .  And  you, 
in  time  past  enemies,  hath  He  reconciled  in  the 
body  of  His  flesh  through  death,  to  present  you 
holy.  You,  being  dead  through  your  trespasses, 
did  He  quicken  together  with  Him,  having  forgiven 
us  all  our  trespasses,  having  blotted  out  the  bond 
written  in  ordinances  that  was  against  us,  nailing 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  69 

it  to  the  cross.  . .  .  Even  as  the  Lord  forgave  you, 
so  also  do  ye'  (Col.  1.  ia-2ij;  ii.  13,  14;  iii.  13). 

To  the  Thessalonians. — '  Jesus  delivereth  us  from 
the  wrath  to  come ' ;  not  only  from  sinful  conduct 
by  moral  influence,  but  from  wrath  because  of  sins 
already  committed.  '  For  God  appointed  us  not 
unto  wrath,  but  unto  the  obtaining  of  salvation 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  us, 
that  we  should  live  together  with  Him '  (i  Thess.  i. 
10 ;  V.  9). 

To  Timothy. — *  Faithful  is  the  saying,  and  worthy 
of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners.  There  is  one  mediator 
between  God  and  men,  Christ  Jesus,  who  gave 
Himself  a  ransom  for  all.'  On  the  eve  of  martyr- 
dom he  thus  expressed  his  hope :  '  Christ  Jesus 
abolished  death,  and  brought  life  and  incorruption 
to  light  through  the  Gospel,  whereunto  I  was  ap- 
pointed a  preacher.  For  the  which  cause  I  suffer 
these  things ;  yet  I  am  not  ashamed ;  for  I  know 
Him  whom  I  have  believed,  and  I  am  persuaded 
that  He  is  able  to  guard  that  which  I  have  com- 
mitted unto  Him*  (iTim.  i.  15;  ii.  ^t6\  2  Tim. 
i.9-12). 

To  Tt'tus. — *  Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  gave  Him- 
self for  us,  that  He  might  redeem  us  from  all 
iniquity,  and  purify  unto  Himself  a  people  for 
His  own  possession,  zealous  of  good  works.'  '  The 
kindness  of  God  our  Saviour  and  His  love  toward 
man  appeared,  not  by  works  done  in  righteousness 


70  ATONEMENT 

which  we  did  ourselves,  but  according  to  His  mercy 
He  saved  us,  through  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  He  poured 
out  upon  us  richly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour' 
(Tit.  ii.  11-14;  iii.  4-6). 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  any  candid 
reader  of  St.  Paul  can  interpret  such  statements 
as  simply  meaning  moral  influence.  Objectors  may 
question  his  inspiration,  or  even  the  correctness  of 
his  human  judgment,  but  they  surely  ought  to 
acknowledge  that  he  taught  forgiveness  as  secured 
by  the  death  of  Christ. 

We  repeat  that  the  idea  of  the  Christian  Atone- 
ment was  not  originated  by  St.  Paul.  ,  It  had  been 
taught  by  Christ  Himself  and  proclaimed  by  the 
Apostles  when  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  persecuting  all 
who  held  it.  It  was  at  variance  with  his  early  train- 
ing and  prejudices.  To  adopt  it  was  to  sacrifice 
all  his  worldly  interests.  He  could  not  have  in- 
vented it ;  he  would  not  if  he  could.  As  soon  as 
he  was  converted  he  was  instructed  in  the  doctrine 
by  men  who  had  been  taught  it  by  the  Apostles. 
In  addition  to  this,  he  received  it  authoritatively 
from  the  Lord  Himself.  Paul's  doctrine  was  Christ's 
doctrine. 

No  wonder  that  having  been  so  taught — having 
experienced  the  saving  power  of  faith  in  his  own 
soul,  and  witnessed  it  in  the  case  of  multitudes, 
attested  as  it  was  by  divers  miracles  and  gifts  of 
the  Holy  Ghost — no  wonder  that  he  made  the  cross 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  71 

prominent  in  his  preaching  and  letters,  as  the  only 
foundation  of  a  sinner's  hope,  the  only  fountain 
of  a  believer's  joy,  the  great  incentive  of  all  holy 
obedience  and  consecrated  service :  no  wonder  that 
to  all,  though  to  many  it  was  a  stumbling-block,  he 
preached  '  Christ  crucified.' 

'  The  cross  of  Christ  was  the  centre  of  all  St.  Paul's 
preaching.  The  most  illustrious  of  missionaries 
declared  to  the  heathen  that  God  was  at  peace  with 
them  because  Christ  had  died.  He  maintained  that 
there  is  no  hope  except  in  Him  whose  death  is  at 
once  the  revelation  of  the  righteousness  of  God 
and  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  men.  The  death 
of  Christ,  as  the  objective  ground  of  the  divine 
forgiveness  of  human  sin,  was  the  substance  of 
St.  Paul's  preaching  ;  it  was  the  central  idea  of  his 
theology;  it  was  the  spring  of  the  mightiest  motives 
by  which  he  wcis  animated  in  his  apostolic  work  \' 

»  7*#  Atonement.    R.  W.  Dale,  D.D.,  Lect.  VI. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS. 

This  Epistle,  accepted  as  having  Apostolic 
authority,  shows  that  its  writer  considered  the 
ceremonies  and  priesthood  of  the  old  dispensation 
as  fulfilled  in  Christ. 

'  God  hath  spoken  to  us  in  His  Son,  who,  when 
He  had  made  purification  of  sins,  sat  down  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high.  .  .  .  We  behold 
Jesus,  because  of  the  suffering  of  death,  crowned 
with  glory  and  honour,  that  by  the  grace  of  God 
He  should  taste  death  for  every  man — that  through 
death  He  might  bring  to  nought  him  that  had  the 
power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil ;  and  might  de- 
liver all  them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all 
their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage.  ...  A  merciful 
and  faithful  High-priest,  to  make  propitiation  for 
the  sins  of  the  people.  ...  A  great  High-priest,  who 
hath  passed  through  the  heavens,  is  the  author  of 
eternal  salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  Him  .  .  . 
Because  He  abideth  for  ever,  He  is  able  to  save 


WITNESS  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS   73 

to  the  uttermost  them  that  draw  near  unto  God 
through  Him,  seeing  He  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
tercession for  them  .  .  .  Who  needeth  not  daily, 
like  those  high  priests,  to  offer  up  sacrifices;  for 
this  He  did  once  for  all,  when  He  offered  up  Himself. 
Not  through  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but 
through  His  own  blood.  He  entered  in  once  for  all 
into  the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemp- 
tion. .  .  .  The  beasts,  whose  blood  is  brought  into 
the  holy  place  by  the  high-priest  as  an  offering  for 
sin,  are  burned  without  the  camp.  Wherefore  Jesus 
also,  that  He  might  sanctify  the  people  through 
His  own  blood,  suffered  without  the  gate.'  The  \^ 
teaching  is  that  Christ  offered,  as  those  priests,  a 
sacrifice  for  sin,  which  was  Himself. 

*  Apart  from  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remis- 
sion .  .  .  but  now,  once  at  the  end  of  the  ages  hath 
He  been  manifested  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice 
of  Himself  .  .  .  once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many. 
We  have  been  sanctified  through  the  offering  of  the 
body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all.  By  one  offering 
He  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified. 
Having  therefore  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holy 
place  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  through  the  veil,  that 
is  to  say,  His  flesh ;  and  having  a  great  priest 
over  the  house  of  God  ;  let  us  draw  near  in  fulness 
of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil 
conscience ;  looking  unto  Jesus,  the  author  and 
perfecter  of  our  faith.  .  .  .  Now  the  God  of  peace, 
who  brought  again  from  the  dead  the  great  Shep- 


74  ATONEMENT 

herd  of  the  sheep  with  the  blood  of  the  eternal 
covenant,  even  our  Lord  Jesus,  make  you  perfect 
in  every  good  thing  to  do  His  will,  working  in  us 
that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  His  sight,  through 
Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be  the  glory  for  ever  and 
ever,  Amen'  (Heb.  i.  3;  ii.  9-17;  iv.  14;  v.  9  ; 
vii.  24,  37;  ix.  ia-28;  x.  io-a2;  xii.  2;  xiii.  11, 
12,  20). 

If  the  temporary  arrangements  of  the  former 
dispensation  are  used  as  symbols  of  the  abiding 
facts  of  the  latter,  such  illustration  does  not  turn 
these  facts  into  figures.  The  Jewish  priests  'served 
that  which  is  a  copy  and  shadotv  of  the  heavenly 
things.'  Christian  facts  and  doctrines  are  the 
heavenly,  the  abiding  things,  of  which  those  tran- 
sient ordinances  were  anticipatory  copies  (Heb. 
viii.  5  ;  x.  i). 

This  interpretation  of  those  earlier  things  was 
not  invented  by  human  fancy,  but  was  the  teaching 
of  divine  revelation.  The  entrance  of  the  high- 
priest  into  the  Holy  of  Holies  was  interpreted  as 
typical  of  Christ's  ascension — *  The  Holy  Ghost  this 
signifying,  that  the  way  into  the  holy  place  hath 
not  yet  been  made  manifest,  while  as  the  first 
tabernacle  is  yet  standing ;  which  is  a  parable  for 
the  time  now  present.  For  Christ  entered  not  into 
a  holy  place  made  with  hands,  like  in  pattern  to 
the  true ;  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to  appear 
before  the  face  of  God  for  us '  (Heb.  ix.  8,  9,  24). 
The  law  was  '  a  shadow  of  the  things  to  come  ;  but 


WITNESS  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS    75 

the  body  is  Christ's'  (Col.  ii.  17).  Thus  the  precedent 
indistinct  types  of  the  Old  Testament  foreshadowed 
the  substance  of  the  New.  If  the  Christian  doc- 
trine of  Atonement,  resting  on  its  own  independent 
foundation,  is  so  capable  of  illustration  from  an 
ancient  ceremonial  ordained  by  God  and  elaborately 
described  in  His  Word,  may  it  not  be  inferred  that 
the  correspondence  was  designed  by  the  Author  of 
both  systems  ? 

Rejectors  of  our  doctrine  say  that  New  Testa- 
ment Atonement  was  evolved  out  of  Old  Testa- 
ment ceremonial  by  the  Apostles,  who,  as  Jews, 
had  been  brought  up  in  the  practice  and  love  of  it. 
We  say,  that  the  Atonement  having  been  divinely 
revealed,  the  Apostles  found  in  that  ceremonial 
much  to  illustrate  it.  There  were  differences  be- 
tween the  two  which  rendered  it  unlikely  that  the 
one  could  of  itself  suggest  the  other.  Would 
sacrifices  offered  by  men  to  God  develop  a  sacri- 
fice by  God  for  men — the  small  gifts  of  irrational 
animals  the  infinite  offering  of  the  Son  of  God — 
the  sacrifices  which  removed  ceremonial  defect, 
that  which  cleansed  the  conscience  and  saved  the 
soul  ?  Would  those  who  abhorred  the  idea  of 
human  sacrifice  have  invented  the  death  of  the 
Son  of  Man  as  pleasing  to  God  ?  But  those  who 
accepted  the  Atonement  as  a  divine  fact,  readily 
found  in  the  old  ceremonial  illustrations  of  a 
sacrifice  transcending  in  nature,  importance,  and 
results.    This  was  their  justification  in  relinquishing 


16  ATONEMENT 

the  Old  for  the  New  and  better  covenant.  What- 
ever objectors  may  say  as  to  the  fulfilment  of 
Jewish  ritual  in  Christian  doctrine,  they  cannot 
deny  that  the  writer  of  this  Epistle,  and  those  who 
accepted  it,  did  believe  in  Atonement  by  Jesus 
Christ. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLES  AS  A  WHOLE. 

During  several  years  the  Apostles  were  con- 
stant companions  of  the  Lord.  They  listened  to 
His  teaching  in  public,  and  enjoyed  opportunities 
in  private  of  more  fully  understanding  it.  They 
thus  were  specially  qualified  to  discharge  the  great 
commission  given  them  to  preach  His  Gospel  to 
the  world.  Unless  this  greatest  of  all  teachers 
had  been  incompetent  they  could  not  have  per- 
manently misunderstood  the  great  object  of  His 
mission.  Merely  as  honest  reporters  their  doctrine 
of  Christ's  death  and  its  purpose  should  be  ac- 
cepted as  His  own.  The  Gospel  of  the  Apostles 
must  have  been  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  Otherwise 
'  how  was  it  possible  for  men  of  ordinary  capacity 
so  grievously  to  pervert  and  corrupt  His  teaching  ? 
.  .  .  Objections  against  their  teaching  on  a  point 
like  this  are  an  impeachment  of  the  authority  of 
Christ.  ...  If  their  varying  statements  are  har- 
monious expressions  of  the  same  idea — that  the 


78  ATONEMENT 

death  of  Christ  is  the  immediate  ground  on  which 
God  grants  to  the  penitent  remission  of  sins — the 
Apostles  must  have  received  the  idea  from  Christ 
Himself.'     (Dale.) 

The  value  of  the  evidence  of  the  *  glorious  com- 
pany of  the  Apostles '  does  not  depend  entirely  on 
express  statements,  but  also  on  the  spirit  which 
pervades  the  whole  of  their  combined  teaching. 
They  referred  all  duty,  encouragement,  consolation 
to  the  Christ  whose  atoning  death  they  testified. 
It  was  the  cross  which  gave  force  to  every  appeal, 
motive  for  every  duty,  reality  to  every  promise, 
courage  for  every  trial,  certainty  to  every  hope, 
life  to  every  function  of  the  spiritual  nature.  Prayer 
was  to  be  offered  '  in  the  Name '  of  Christ :  praise 
was  'giving  thanks  always  in  the  Name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  ' :  service  resulted  from  being  '  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works ' :  benevolence 
was  encouraged  by  its  being  exercised  for  the  sake 
of  Christ ;  *  husbands  are  to  love  their  wives  as 
Christ  loved  the  Church  and  gave  Himself  for  it ' : 
wives  are  to  submit  to  their  husbands,  'as  unto 
the  Lord':  children  are  to  obey  their  parents  'in 
the  Lord':  believers  are  to  'do  all  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus':  if  they  are  'blessed  with  all 
spiritual  blessings,'  it  is  'in  Christ  Jesus':  their 
happiness  results  from  Him,  '  in  whom  believing 
ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable ' :  their  very  life 
is  Himself;  *  I  live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me.' 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLES  AS  A  WHOLE    79 

Of  whom  beside  were  such  expressions  ever  used  ? 
If  Christ  were  merely  Teacher,  Example,  Martyr, 
and  thus  exerjted  a  moral  influence  of  the  same 
nature  as  that  of  many  others,  could  such  claims 
have  been  thus  exclusively  urged  ?  There  must 
have  been  an  essential  difference.  This  is  clearly 
declared  to*  have  been  that  He  died  for  our  re- 
demption. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  doctrine  of  Atonement 
was  developed  from  slight  allusions  in  the  Gospels 
into  a  great  system  in  the  Epistles  as  an  after- 
growth. But  we  have  seen  that  it  was  taught  by 
Christ.  If  more  fully  by  His  disciples,  the  growth 
was  not  greater  than  in  His  own  personal  teaching. 
The  advance,  in  development  of  doctrine,  from  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  to  the  valedictory  discourse ; 
from  Matt,  v.-vii.  to  John  xiv.-xvii.,  was  greater 
than  any  evolution  from  the  Gospels  to  the  Epistles. 
So  also  had  been  the  growth  of  spiritual  teaching 
in  the  Old  Testament,  from  that  of  Moses  to  that 
of  the  Psalmists,  Isaiah,  and  the  other  prophets. 
Compare  Leviticus  with  Psalm  li. :  Is.  i.  10-18: 
xii.  :  xxxiii.  20-24:  xxxv. :  xl.  l-ii,  28-31:  xli. 
10-20:  xliii.  1-4:  xliv.  21-23:  xlix.  13-17:  li. 
1-12  :  liii. :  Iv. :  Ivii.  15  :  Iviii.  :  Ix. :  Ixiii.  16  :  Ixiv. 
1-9,  &c. 

Such  development  was  ordained  by  the  Great 
Teacher.  '  I  have  yet  many  things  to  say  unto 
you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now.  Howbeit  when 
He,  the  Spirit  of  Truth,  is  come,  He  shall  guide 


8o  ATONEMENT 

you  into  all  the  truth,  and  He  shall  declare  unto 
you  the  things  that  are  to  come.  He  shall  glorify 
Me ;  for  He  shall  take  of  Mine  and  shall  declare  it 
unto  you.  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you, 
while  yet  abiding  with  you.  But  the  Comforter, 
even  the  Holy  Spirit,  whom  the  Father  will  send 
in  My  name,  He  shall  teach  you  all  things,  and 
bring  to  your  remembrance  all  that  I  said  unto  you. 
He  shall  bear  witness  of  Me ;  and  ye  also  shall 
bear  witness,  because  ye  have  been  with  Me  from 
the  beginning '  (John  xiv.  2,6 ;  xv.  a6,  27 ;  xvi. 
8-14). 

It  is  here  expressly  declared  by  our  Lord,  that 
after  His  departure  the  Holy  Spirit  would  reveal 
more  fully  the  truth  to  the  disciples,  whose  testi- 
mony would  be  riot  their  own  invention,  but  what 
they,  divinely  aided,  remembered  of  His  own  words, 
and  what  they  were  specially  taught  by  His  Spirit. 
The  Spirit  of  Christ  in  them  bore  true  witness 
of  Christ.  'Salvation  from  sin,  procured  by  the 
atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ,  is  unquestionably  a  central 
and  fundamental  doctrine  of  Christianity,  as  taught 
by  Christ  and  His  Apostles,  by  the  truth  or  false- 
hood of  which  Christianity  must  stand  or  fall  ^.' 

Surely  with  such  witnesses  '  evincing  such  har- 
mony in  the  divine  dispensations,  such  unity  of 
principle  and  design  between  the  earlier  and  the 
later  portions  of  divine  revelation, — it  would  be 
far  more  consistent  to  renounce  the  authority  of  the 
^  TA<  Atontfiunt.     By  Archbishop  Magee. 


WITNESS  OF  THE  APOSTLES  AS  A  WHOLE   8 1 

Bible  at  once,  than  to  admit  that  authority,  and 
deny  that  it  teaches  the  doctrine  of  redemption  by 
substitutionary  sufferings  or  sacrificial  Atonement. 
.  .  .  To  the  mind  that  can  contrive,  to  its  own 
satisfaction,  to  strip  the  Bible  of  the  doctrine  of 
Atonement  by  vicarious  suffering,  it  might,  in  my 
apprehension,  be  safely  pronounced  impossible  to 
convey  a  Divine  discovery  at  all  ;  there  being  no 
terms  conceivable  which  might  not,  by  such  a 
mind,  be  explained  away. — SALVATION  IS  THE 
LESSON  of  the  Bible : — and  it  is  salvation  by 
Atonement,  or  substitutionary  suffering  ^.' 
*  If  expressions  such  as  these  do  not  teach  us 
that  the  death  of  Christ  and  pardon  are  so  con- 
nected with  each  other  that  the  latter  is  absolutely 
dependent  on  the  former,  then  there  is  no  meaning 
in  language,  then  inspiration  itself  bewilders  when 
it  should  guide,  obscures  when  it  should  illumine, 
and  infinite  wisdom  might  well  confess  itself  bafiled 
in  the  endeavour  to  find  or  fabricate  words  and 
phrases  to  convey  the  truth  that  man  is  saved 
through  the  atonement  of  Christ.  If  this  verity 
is  not  as  visible  throughout  the  whole  Apostolic 
writings,  as  if  it  had  been  traced  in  sunbeams, 
then  it  is  but  little  to  say  that  the  Apostles  were 
arrant  blunderers  when  they  used  the  pen.  .  .  .  The 
Holy  Spirit  that  directed  them  is  compromised  in 
what  thus  becomes  a  systematic  perversion  of 
speech,  and  the  Bible,  though  from  heaven,  wins 
^  Tht  Atonement  of  Christ,  by  Rev.  R.  Wardlaw,  D.D. 
F 


8a  ATONEMENT 

for  itself  the  inglorious  fame  of  being  the  worst 
written  book  in  the  world  ^.' 

Surely  there  is  more  than  enough  in  these 
testimonies  of  the  Apostles  to  justify  the  explicit 
language  of  the  Communion  Service  of  the  Church 
of  England,  which  speaks  of  Christ  suffering  '  death 
upon  the  cross  for  our  redemption ' ;  and  making 
there, '  by  His  one  oblation  of  Himself,  once  offered, 
a  full,  perfect,  and  sufficient  sacrifice,  oblation,  and 
satisfaction,  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.' 

'  The  Atonement:  its  Relation  to  Pardon,  by  Rev.  E.  Mellor, 
D.D. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

THEORY  OF   THE  ATONEMENT. 

In  support  of  the  Fact  of  Atonement  we  rely  on 
no  a  priori  reasonings.  We  do  not  dogmatise  on 
eternal  necessity,  nor  suggest  that  an  infinite  God 
could  not  forgive  sin  without  an  infinite  Atonement. 
But  we  do  infer  from  the  law  of  Divine  economy, 
the  Son  of  God  would  not  have  become  incarnate 
and  have  died  to  save  sinners  if  the  same  results 
could  have  been  secured  by  a  method  less  costly. 
Whatever  strength  may  accrue  from  other  argu- 
ments, our  first  and  authoritative  appeal  is  to  God's 
own  Word,  (interpreting  this  according  to  the 
general  laws  of  language,  and  relying  not  on  iso- 
lated texts,  but  on  the  whole  tenour  of  the  teaching, 
we  prove  that  forgiveness,  through  the  Sacrifice  of 
Christ,  as  the  necessary  prelude  to  righteousness,  is 
revealed  as  Atonement. 

The  theory  chiefly  urged  against  this  view  is  that 
salvation  results  from  the  moral  influence  of  Christ's 
life  and  death  in  producing  reformation  of  character. 
F  a 


84  ATONEMENT 

We  appeal  with  confidence  to  the  Scriptures  cited 
in  proof  that  such  reformation  of  character  results 
from  the  forgiveness  of  sin  through  the  death  of 
Christ.  We  refer  once  more  to  such  statements 
as  the  following.  '  His  own  self  bare  our  sins  in 
His  own  Body  on  the  tree,  that  we,  having  died 
unto  sins,  might  live  unto  righteousness ;  by  whose 
stripes  ye  were  healed.'  '  Our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ 
gave  Himself  for  us,  that  He  might  redeem  us  from 
all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  Himself  a  people  for 
His  own  possession,  zealous  of  good  works.'  *  How 
much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  offered 
Himself  without  blemish  unto  God,  cleanse  your 
conscience  from  dead  works,  to  serve  the  living 
God?' ...  *  Christ  loved  the  Church  and  gave  Him- 
self up  for  it  .  .  .  that  it  should  be  holy  and  with- 
out blemish.'  In  these  and  a  multitude  of  other 
texts  it  is  clearly  stated  that  Christ's  Atonement 
was  to  obtain  forgiveness  and  reconciliation  with 
God  as  preceding  and  producing  conformity  to 
His  law. 

Explanations  may  vary,  but  the  fact  remains. 
Sinners  are  saved  by  reliance  on  Christ  who  died, 
and  not  by  accepting  any  particular  theory.  '  The 
Creeds  of  the  Church  Catholic  tell  us  to  believe  in 
the  Forgiveness  of  Sins.  They  link  that  belief  to 
the  great  miracle  of  the  Incarnation  ;  they  tell  us 
that  our  salvation  has  been  procured  by  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God,  who,  in  order  to  effect  it,  came  down 
from  heaven,  was  incarnate,  suffered,  died,  and  rose 


THEORY  OF  THE  ATONEMENT  85 

again.     But  how  His  life  and  death  and  resurrection 
accomplished  our  salvation  they  tell  us  not.    They 
teach  an  Atonement ;    but  theory  of  Atonement, 
they  give  us  none.     All  that  we  are  bound  to  be- 
lieve and  defend  is,  that  there  has  been  an  Atone- 
ment effected  for  us  by  the  death  of  Christ,  that 
this  has  removed  a  hindrance  in  the  way  of  remis-  --fc. 
sion  of  sins  other  and  beyond  any  that  might  exist 
in  ourselves ;  but  what  that  hindrance  is,  and  how      '. 
that  death  availed  to  remove  it,  we  are  nowhere  >' 
expressly  told.'    (Magee.)  '"^^'^ 

Mystery  should  be  no  hindrance  to  faith.  Sin 
itself  is  a  mystery.  The  natural  universe  obeys  ^ 
its  Creator  ;  while  man,  the  chief  work,  sets  up  his,-f 
own  will  as  if  he  could  be  independent  of  the  Divine 
Will.  If,  without  understanding  the  '  origin  of  evil ' 
we  suffer  from  the  fact  of  it,  so.  without  under- 
standing the  mystery  of  Atonement,  we  may  rejoice 
that  the  Second  Adam  died  to  '  take  away  the  sin 
of  the  world.'  As  we  cannot  ignore  the  disease, 
we  ought  not  to  reject  the  remedy  because  also 
mysterious.  If  one  is  abnormal,  we  might  expect 
the  other  to  be  so  too. 

As  we  may  profit  by  the  solar  ray  without 
knowing  the  nature  of  light ;  and  be  nourished  by 
food  while  ignorant  of  the  process  of  digestion,  so 
multitudes  are  saved  through  the  Atonement,  who 
cannot  explain  it.  *  Great  is  the  mystery  of  godli- 
ness ' ;  yet  it  is  reasonable  that  with  the  angels 
'  desire  to  look  into  these  things.'    Can  we  cross  such 


,  who      . 
jpdli-    J- 
Is  we      I 


86  ATONEMENT 

a  gulf  and  not  desire  to  examine  the  structure  of  the 
bridge  ?  When  in  natural  processes  we  trace  adap- 
tation of  means  to  ends  our  adoration  of  the  Creator 
is  enhanced.  Salvation  by  Christ  exceeds  all  other 
facts  in  importance  to  us.  It  cannot  result  from  a 
mere  arbitrary  decree.  May  we  not  try  to  discover 
some  of  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge 
contained  in  it  ? 

After  the  inspired  statements  quoted  in  preceding 
chapters,  it  seems  superfluous  to  attempt  any  other 
explanation.  They  show  that  the  Death  of  Christ 
is  substituted  for  our  bearing  the  penalty  of  sin 
ourselves,  answering  all  the  purposes  for  which 
punishment  might  have  been  inflicted,  and  with 
additional  advantages  which  punishment  could  not 

Vhave  secured.  Punishment  would  have  honoured 
Law,  but  destroyed  the  sinner:  Atonement  does 
more  honour  to  law,  but  saves  the  sinner. 

Punishment  is  a  fact  in  the  universal  government 
of  God.  Natural  law  demands  inexorable  physical 
penalty.  Social  loss  follows  social  faults.  Con- 
science is  a  tormenting  reprover  when  no  one  knows 
our  wrong-doing.  Threatening  and  punishment 
from  Genesis  to  Revelation  show  God's  resolve  to 
y  uphold  government  by  vindicating  law.  Suffering 
in  itself  is  an  evil.  If  ordained  as  punishment, 
it  must  be  because  of  some  resulting  advantage. 
Remission  without  such  result  would  therefore  be 
injurious.  The  reasons  that  justify  infliction  seem 
to  forbid  remission.     But  if  the  Sacrifice  of  Christ 


y 


THEORY  OF  THE  ATONEMENT  87 

accomplishes  all  for  which  punishment  was  designed, 
such  substitution  may  be  accepted  as  Atonement, 
consistently  both  with  justice  and  mercy.  I  repeat, 
in  the  spoken  words  of  an  eminent  poet-preacher,  . 
'  Christ's  Sacrifice  is  substituted  for  the  sinner's — 4-' 
punishment,  answering  all  its  purposes,  and  better.' 
(T.T.  Lynch.)  ^ 

Punishment  is  not  necessarily  for  reformation. 
Its  purpose  may  be  answered  by  satisfying  a  sense 
of  equity,  by  expressing  abhorrence  of  and  deter- 
ring others  from  wrong-doing.  But  the  Sacrifice 
of  Christ,  while  accomplishing  this,  saves  the  trans- 
gressor also  not  only  from  the  penalty  of  sin  but 
from  its  ruling  power,  producing  in  him  repent-  1/ 
ance  and  reformation.  While  evil  consequences  of  '\ 
sin  are  removed  from  the  sinner,  beneficial  results 
of  punishment  are  secured  to  the  universe.  God 
is  glorified,  law  honoured,  government  upheld,  at 
the  same  time  that  guilt  is  cancelled  and  the 
sinner  saved.  Thus  did  Jesus  '  put  away  sin  by 
the  sacrifice  of  Himself — as  a  punishment  by 
securing  its  ends ;  and  as  a  power  by  giving 
spiritual  life  to  the  dead  sinner  and  turning  him 
from  his  iniquities. 

Christ  perfectly  obeyed  the  law  broken  by  men, 
and  echoed  back  from  humanity  God's  thoughts 
respecting  sin  and  holiness.  He  offered,  as  our 
Representative,  a  perfect  obedience,  so  that  the 
Father  beholding  Him  as  the  Son  of  Man,  and 
for  men,  could   say :   *  I   am  well  pleased.'     He 


•'/ 


.S6  4^ 


88  ATONEMENT 

could  not  as  Divine,  nor,  as  a  perfect  Man,  offer 

the  Atonement  of  remorse  \  for  He  Tcnew  no  sin.* 

^  But   He  did   suffer  on  our   behalf  many  of  the 

7  consequences    of  sin — physical    infirmities,   social 

'  -Strongs,  the  malignity  of  the  wicked,  mental  an- 

_gjjish>  spiritual  trials  ;  and  '  became  obedient  unto 

fy'      death.'      Throughout    His    whole   life    His   sym- 

Jn^     pathizing  human  heart  was  oppressed  with  that 

\^       just   appreciation    of  sin    for  which    His   Divine 

nature  rendered  Him  competent.     Though  sinless. 

He  stood  in  the  place  of  sinners,  confessing  their 

guilt ;   and  thus  '  His  soul  was  made  an  offering 

for  sin.' . . . . - 

Death  was  not  forced  on  Him  to  satisfy  God's  jus- 
tice, but  was  His  joyful  concurrence  with  God's  love. 
Owing  nothing  on  His  own  account.  He  ransomed 
those  who  owed  '_ten  Jthousand  _talents^and  had 
nothing  to  pay.'  In  the  words  of  Diognetus  in 
the  first  century,  often  cited,  '  God  Himself  gave 
up  His  Son  as  a  ransom  for  us  :  the  Holy  for  the 
unholy;  the  Sinless  for  the  sinful;  the  Immortal 
for  the  mortal ;  for  what  else  but  His  righteous- 
ness could  cover  our  sins?  O  sweet  change!  O 
unsearchable  work  I  O  unexampled  benefit,  that 
the  wickedness  of  many  should  be  covered  by 
One  righteous,  the  righteousness  of  One  should 
justify  many  sinners.'  His  Divine  nature  gave 
infinite  capacity  for  this  great  work,  and  infinite 
y  value  to  the   work  when   performed.      This  was 

substituted  for  the   punishment  which  otherwise 


^ 


THEORY  OF  THE  ATONEMENT  89 

both  justice  and  love  demanded  from  the  guilty, 
for  the  welfare  of  the  Universe.  The  method  of  • 
the  forgiveness  vindicates  the  Law.  Its  costliness 
declares  both  condemnation  of  sin,  and  Love  in 
providing  such  a  remedy.  Thus  reverence  and 
gratitude  are  together  promoted  in  the  pardoned 
sinner.  If  he  is  taught  the  exceeding  evil  of  the 
sin  needing  such  Atonement,  so  he  is  assured  most 
absolutely  that  the  purpose  of  God  has  been  ful- 
filled in  '  so  great  Salvation.'  The  Atonement  pro- 
claims Him  to  be  both  Light  and  Love  :  establish- 
ing Law  while  saving  the  transgressor.  If  one 
company  of  Cherubim  exclaim,  *Holy,  Holy,  Holy, 
Lord  God  of  Hosts,'  another  respond,  *  for  His 
mercy  enduretli  for  ever.' 

Variations   of  theory  may  exist    among  those 
who  possess  the  same  stedfast  faith.     It  has  been 
truly  said  that  all  explanations  of  the  Atonement 
have  partial  truth :    Christ  -did  die  as  a  Martyr\ 
as  an  Example ;  as  a  pattern  of  Self-surrender ;  to 
show  Sympathy ;  as  our  Representative ;  to  reveal 
the  Love  of  God ;  to  satisfy  the  claims  of  Govern-  X 
ment\   to  make  tis  good.     The  Atonement  fulfils   , 
all  these  purposes  ;    but  each  is  not  all ;   and  all    | 
are  defective  without  this — *  He  bare  our  sins  Id  / 
His  own  body  on  thll'litL.' """"       ■-  '^ 

Atonement  is  the  first  great  lesson  of  the  death 
of  Christ.  But  there  are  many  others.  It  is  the 
brightest  revelation  of  God,  whose  glory  we  see 
*in  the  face  of  Jesus   Christ'  as  Saviour  of  the 


90  ATONEMENT 

world.  His  death,  as  man  for  man,  binds  all  men 
together  in  closest  ties  of  brotherhood.  His  resur- 
rection is  a  token  of  victory  over  the  grave  ;  His 
continued  life,  of  our  own  immortality.  All  our 
study  of  the  fact  will  not  fathom  'the  manifold 
wisdom  of  God '  ;  the  '  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ ' ;  the  '  breadth  and  length  and  depth  and 
height — the  love  that  passeth  knowledge.' 

It  has  been  wisely  said  that  arguments  for  the 
fact  of  Atonement  are  not  a  chain  which  falls  if 
"one  link  is  broken  ;  but  a  net  which  still  holds 
together  though  several  portions  of  it  may  be 
defective.  Readers  of  this  book  may  question 
portions  of  it  without  destroying  the  evidence  of 
the  fact  that  Christ  died  to  bring  sinners  to 
_God__ 

However  imperfect  any  explanation,  the  fact  is 
independent  of  the  theory.  That  Christ  is  the 
Propitiation  for  our  sins  '  means,  at  least,  this 
much — that  our  repentance  could  not  avail  to 
obtain  our  pardon,  were  it  not  for  what  Christ 
has  done  and  is  doing  for  us ; — or,  that  in  the 
matter  of  our  forgiveness,  Christ  is  in  some  way, 
for  some  reason,  interposed  between  us  and  God, 
and  that  through  Him,  because  of  Him,  or  as  we 
express  it  in  our  prayers,  "  for  His  sake,"  penitent 
sinners  are  forgiven.'  (Magee.)  This  preceded  any 
theory,  and  multitudes  have  rejoiced  in  Salva- 
tion without  any  knowledge  of  the  philosophy  of 
it.     '  The  power  of  the  great  Sacrifice  for  the  sins 


'    THEORY  OF  THE  ATONEMENT  91 

of  the  world  lies  in  itself,  and  not  in  our  explana- 
tion. It  is  not  the  doctrine  of  the  Death  of  Christ 
for  human  sin,  but  the  Death  itself,  which  has  such 
wonderful  power  that  it  inspires  faith  in  God,  and 
purifies  the  heart.'    (Dale.) 


CHAPTER   XV. 

MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS. 

Endeavours  to  explain  the  profound  mystery 
of  the  Atonement,  so  as  to  render  it  easier  of 
belief,  have  often  suggested  other  and  still  greater 
difficulties.  Thus  many  persons  have  rejected 
Divine  truth  because  of  human  mistakes  ;  the  pure 
light  having  been  discoloured  and  distorted  by  the 
refracting  and  clouded  lenses  interposed.  Oppo- 
nents, seizing  on  such  misrepresentations,  have 
seemed  to  gain  an  easy  victory,  when  they  have 
merely  refuted  errors  of  interpretation.  With 
much  diffidence,  therefore,  fearing  similar  mistakes, 
the  writer  ventures  to  offer  the  following  sugges- 
tions. 

I.  //  is  objected  that  the  purpose  of  Christ's  death 
was  subjective  moral  influence  alone. 

Opponents  of  Atonement,  insisting  on  a  sinner's 
reformation  in  the  future,  make  light  of  the  guilt 
accumulated  in  the  past.  According  to  them,  God 
might  have  forgiven  the  sinner  as  well  without  the 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS     93 

sacrifice  of  Christ  as  with  it,  provided  only  the 
sinful  disposition  were  changed.  The  purpose  of 
Christ's  death  was  not,  on  this  theory,  to  furnish  a 
ground  for  the  bestowment  of  pardon,  but  simply 
to  be  a  power  to  turn  man  to  righteousness.  They 
say  that  God's  anger  is  against  sin  alone,  and 
ceases  with  it ;  that  ceasing  to  sin  is  salvation,  as 
by  stopping  the  source  of  a  torrent  its  streams 
cease  to  destroy.  But  this  does  not  rebuild  the 
ruin  and  replant  the  orchard.  Repentance  does 
not  neutralise  the  offence,  which  is  not  merely  a 
disease  to  be  cured,  but  a  crime  to  be  punished. 

The  Scriptures  that  teach  Atonement  teach  also 
reformation,  as  its  necessary  result,  providing  special 
incentives  and  power  for  producing  it.  Forgive- 
ness by  Atonement  is  the  root  from  which,  as 
branches,  righteousness  grows.  The  whole  of  the 
present  volume  is  designed  to  meet  this  objection. 

2.  //  is  objected  that  this  doctrine  represents  God 
as  angry. 

Hatred  of  wrong  is  inseparable  from  love  of 
right.  Righteous  wrath  is  a  phase  of  love.  If 
pleased  with  what  is  lovely,  we  must  be  displeased 
with  its  reverse.  Life  would  be  intolerable  if  evil 
ceased  to  be  repulsive.  The  moral  universe  would 
be  in  peril  if  the  Ruler  did  not  delight  in  those 
who  obey  His  laws,  and  'hate  all  workers  of 
iniquity'  while  they  cling  to  the  sin  He  hates. 

If  it  is  pleaded  that,  judging  from  human  nature, 
God  must  be  merciful  as  we  are,  we  reply  that  for 


94  ATONEMENT 

the  same  reason  He  must  be  angry  as  we  are. 
We  cannot  give  our  highest  commendation  to  a 
man,  however  generous,  a  woman,  however  tender, 
who  does  not  feel  indignation  at  ingratitude, 
tyranny,  cruelty.  The  tenderer  the  benevolence, 
the  sterner  the  condemnation.  We  lower  God 
beneath  His  image,  if  we  regard  Him  as  cold 
intellect,  without  emotion  either  of  loving  approval 
or  righteous  displeasure. 

Human  beings  in  a  healthy  moral  condition  are 
angry  at  crime,  and  desire  the  punishment  of  the 
criminal.  We  are  sorry  and  often  indignant  if  law 
is  evaded.  We  justify  such  anger  by  the  approval 
of  our  moral  consciousness,  and  the  interests  of 
Society.  Otherwise  we  should  be  showing  more 
compassion  for  the  breakers  than  for  the  keepers  of 
Law,  for  the  perpetrators  than  for  the  victims  of 
wrong. 

If  we  feel  righteous  indignation  when  we  only 
hear  of  some  single  crime,  what  must  be  the 
feeling  of  Him  who  is  *  of  purer  eyes  than  to 
behold  iniquity,'  when  He  actually  witnesses  all 
the  atrocious  actions  committed,  and  knows  all 
the  abominable  thoughts  encouraged  at  every 
moment,  throughout  all  agesl  Must  not  His 
holiness  and  love  compel  anger  ? 

But  the  Atonement  teaches  that  His  anger  is 
against  those  who  violate  the  laws  of  love  only 
while  so  doing.  '  He  waiteth  to  be  gracious '  to 
all  who  turn  from  their  wickedness.     '  Have  I  any 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS      95 

pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked  ? '  If  some 
have  misrepresented  the  wrath  of  God,  many  more 
have  erred  in  speaking  of  Him  as  of  a  human 
being  simply  good-natured.  The  wrath  of  God  is 
solemnly  reiterated  and  awfully  illustrated  in  Scrip- 
ture. The  Israelites  were  warned,  '  Lest  the  anger 
of  the  Lord  your  God  b^  kindled  against  you.' 
This  was  seen  in  the  Flood,  at  Sodom,  and  in  other 
judgments.  And  while  the  New  Testament  teaches 
that  '  God  is  Love,'  it  also  teaches  that  '  wrath  and 
indignation  shall  be  on  every  soul  of  man  that 
worketh  evil,'  that  Christ  came  to  '  deliver  us  from 
the  wrath  to  come,'  and  that '  it  is  a  fearful  thing 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God.' 

None  ever  warned  against  wrath  so  emphatically 
as  He  who  died  to  save  sinners  from  it.  Of  cities 
that  had  seen  most  of  His  mighty  works  He  said, 
'  It  shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom 
in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  thee.'  To  the 
hypocritical  Pharisees,  'Woe  unto  you,  how  shall 
ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell  ? '  In  tender 
compassion  He  'wept  over  the  city'  against  which, 
in  righteous  retribution,  He  at  the  same  time 
denounced  the  awful  destruction  its  sin  was  pre- 
paring. To  the  finally  impenitent  the  Judge  is 
represented  as  saying,  '  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed, 
into  the  eternal  fire  which  is  prepared  for  the  devil 
and  his  angels.' 

Denial  of  the  wrath  of  God  against  sin  impairs 
belief  in  His  mercy.     It  is  right  to  punish  when 


g6  ATONEMENT 

justice  demands  it,  and  therefore  it  cannot  be  mer- 
ciful to  abstain  from  necessary  infliction.  Anger 
against  evil  is  a  phase  of  the  Love  that  upholds 
Righteousness  and  blesses  the  universe. 

The  death  of  Christ  did  not  exhibit  the  wrath 
of  God  against  the  Sufferer,  who  was  always  His 
' well- beloved  Son';  ijor  personal  wrath  against 
sinful  men,  towards  whom  He  is  ever  '  merciful 
and  gracious/  and  for  whose  salvation  Love  pro- 
vided this  Atonement;  but  towards  sin  itself,  a 
most  emphatic  proclamation  to  the  universe  that 
it  is  the  abominable  thing  which  God  hateth  ;  the 
most  earnest  warning  to  avoid  that  which  needed 
such  Atonement ;  the  most  loving  assurance  that 
He  who  provided  it  will  pardon  all  who  accept 
it.  The  wrath  of  God  is  felt  only  towards  the  sin 
that  opposes  His  loving  desire  for  the  world's 
welfare,  and  was  displayed  on  the  cross  to  deter 
from  the  practice  as  well  as  to  save  from  the 
penalties  of  it.  'There  is  a  wrath  of  God  which 
is  kindled  by  the  flame  of  love.' 

3.  //  is  objected  that  the  Atonement  represents 
Christ  as  appeasing  the  wrath  of  God. 

This  heathenish  notion  may  be  suggested  by 
some  disused  hymns,  and  figurative  utterances  of 
excited  rhetoric,  but  it  is  nowhere  to  be  found  in 
the  Bible.  Apostles,  whose  constant  theme  was 
the  Love  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  cross,  could 
not  have  entertained  a  conception  so  contradictory. 
It  is  culpable  that  in  spite  of  reiterated  abjurations, 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS      97 

such  caricatures  should  continue  to  be  exhibited. 
We  protest  against  the  monstrous  notion  that  the 
death  of  the  Son  appeased  the  wrath  of  the  Father. 
Heathen  sacrifices  were  to  placate  vengeful  gods 
surpassing  men  in  every  vice.  This  sacrifice  of 
Christ  was  offered  not  by  men  to  God,  but  by  God 
for  men  ;  not  to  appease  wrath,  but  reveal  love ; 
not  exacted,  but  provided  by  God. 

We  are  not  taught  that  God  loves  the  world  in 
consequence  of  the  death  of  Christ,  but  that  His 
death  was  the  consequence  of  that  precedent  love. 
'  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only 
begotten  Son.'  The  gift  was  the  expression,  not 
the  cause  of  love.  'This  is  My  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased  ' — not  because  of  wrath 
soothed,  but  of  a  loving  purpose  accomplished. 
'  I  came  to  do  the  will  of  Him  who  sent  Me  '  (John 
iii.  16,  17;  vi.  29,  38-40;  viii.  29  ;  xvi.  26-28  ;  xvii. 
1-4;  Lukeix.  31,  2>^. 

Christ  is  the  brightest  manifestation  of  God's 
love,  not  the  satisfaction  of  His  wrath.  He  reveals 
the  Father,  not  as  changing  Him,  but  showing  Him 
to  be  what  He  always  was.  He  said,  '  He  that 
hath  seen  Me  hath  seen  the  Father.'  Let  us  be- 
hold Him  as  He  blesses  the  children,  touches  the 
leper,  leads  the  blind  for  cure,  delivers  to  the  mother 
the  raised-up  son,  weeps  at  the  grave,  laments  over 
Jerusalem,  prays  for  His  murderers,  dies  for  the 
world,  and  let  us  in  such  actions  see  the  Father. 
The   greatest  proof  of  the  love  of  God  was   in 

G 


98  ATONEMENT 

giving  His  Son  a  voluntary  sacrifice  for  the  sal- 
vation of  the  world.  *  The  Father  who  dwelleth 
within  Me,  He  doeth  the  works.'  We  see  God 
when  we  behold  His  beloved  Son  dying  for  the 
sin  of  the  world. 

Instead  of  seeing  three  distinct  parties  in  the 
Atonement — the  trembling  sinner,  an  angry  Judge, 
•and  the  reconciling  Saviour,  we  are  taught  that 
'  God  was  in  Christ,'  not  being  conciliated  by  an- 
other, but '  reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself,  not 
imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them.'  The  Atone- 
ment is  thus  not  the  appeasing  of  wrath,  but  the 
manifestation  of  love. 

4,  That  the  Atonement  represents  God  as  less 
merciful  than  men. 

It  is  our  duty  both  to  be  angry  and  merciful ; 
to  resist  wrong,  while  kind  to  the  wrong-doer.  How 
can  these  duties  harmonise  ?  We  hand  over  to  the 
magistrate  the  duty  of  maintaining  law,  and  reserve 
to  ourselves  the  privilege  of  showing  mercy.  God 
is  One,  and  cannot  separate  the  two  functions. 
How  can  He  forgive  without  damage  to  righteous- 
ness ?  How  vindicate  righteousness  while  forgiving 
wrong?  Our  not  demanding  reprisals  for  personal 
injury  is  distinct  from  not  punishing  offences  against 
public  safety.  Even  a  parent  should  not  so  pass 
over  the  fault  of  one  child  as  to  injure  the  whole 
family.  Pity  for  a  culprit  is  compatible  with 
maintaining  law  for  the  interests  of  society.  The 
Atonement  solves  the  problem.     God.  vindicating 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS      99 

His  own  law  in  the  person  of  His  Son,  does  homage 
to  righteousness  and  justice  to  the  Mediator  when 
He  forgives  the  penitent  transgressor.  The  re- 
quiring of  satisfaction  to  justice,  and  Himself  pro- 
viding it,  illustrates  rather  than  disparages  the  wise 
and  wide  mercifulness  of  God. 

He  who  knows  all  the  calamities  which  sin  may 
entail,  manifests  in  His  method  of  forgiving  it,  no 
less  than  in  His  threatenings  against  it,  His  care 
for  His  great  family.  Pardon  without  Atonement 
would  not  in  the  same  degree  benefit  the  sinner 
in  deepening  repentance,  calming  anxiety,  and 
prompting  obedience.  The  Atonement,  instead  of 
eclipsing  the  mercy  of  God,  unveils  it.  The  love 
that  requires  it  bestows  it.  Provision  for  pardon 
does  not  wait  for,  but  precedes  the  petition  for  it. 
The  path  for  the  prodigal's  return  is  prepared 
before  he  says, '  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  father.' 
Divine  mercy  thus  surpasses  human. 

5.   That  the  Atonement  represents  God  as  unjnst. 

If  sufferings  undeserved- are  unjust,  so  is  pardon 
undeserved.  Justice  demands  the  impartial  execu- 
tion of  righteous  law  in  protecting  the  innocent 
and  punishing  transgressors.  Penalty  exacted  from 
the  innocent,  and  immunity  for  the  guilty,  are  alike 
unjust.  If  objectors  approve  of  pardon  without 
atonement  to  Law,  they  should  not  object  to 
pardon,  through  voluntary  suffering  by  the  inno- 
cent, effected  without  detriment  to  Law.  They 
retort  that  if  it  would  be  unjust  to  pardon  without 
G  2 


lOO  ATONEMENT 

Atonement,  it  must  also  be  unjust  to  punish  with- 
out guilt.  We  repeat  that  Christ  was  \\.otJ)imisJied ; 
He  was  neither  guilty,  nor  the  object  of  displeasure, 
nor  compelled  to  suffer :  He  gave  His  life  freely,  it 
was  His  delight  to  tulhl  His  Father's  pleasure  by 
obedience  unto  death,  and  so  to  redeem  the  world. 
Whatever  the  view  taken  of  Atonement,  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ  as  martyr,  teacher,  example,  were 
equally  undeserved  and  open  to  the  sSmeoDJcction. 
'  If  it  be  consistent  with  the  justice  of  God  to  ap- 
point an  innocent  and  Divine  person  to  suffer  in 
order  to  assure  us  of  the  truth  of  His  heavenly 
mission,  to  manifest  His  Father's  love,  or  illustrate 
self-sacrifice ;  why  may  it  not  be  consistent  with 
the  justice  of  God  to  appoint  such  a  Person  to  suffer 
in  order  to  exempt  sinners  from  the  penal  conse- 
quences of  their  transgressions  ? '   (Crawford.) 

Life  is  full  of  sorrows,  borne  by  the  innocent 
through  the  faults  of  others:  parents,  friends,  philan- 
thropists, thus  suffer.  Christ  so  suffered,  not  only 
by  sharing,  but  by  removing  the  consequences  of 
sin.  If  objectors  do  not  think  it  unjust  that  Christ 
should  suffer  as  a  martyr  to  Truth,  why  unjust  as 
the  Saviour  of  the  world  ?  If^  having  no  sins  of 
His  own.  He  did  not  suffer  for  those  of  others.  He 
suffered  for  no  sins  at  all.  If  suffering  for  no  sin 
would  be  just,  why  object  to  suffering  for  the  sins 
of  others  in  order  to  save  ?  If  the  death  of  Christ, 
not  being  needed  as  Atonement,  was  only  to  mani- 
fest love,  why  should  love  manifest  itself  in  so  great 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS    lOI 

suffering  without  such  necessity  ?  If  it  is  difficult 
to  think  of  God  approving  such  death  to  meet  such 
necessity,  much  more  in  the  absence  of  it.  It  would 
indeed  be  unjust  for  a  ruler  to  corn^  an  innocent 
■^rgnn  xq  suffer  in  place  of  the  guilty,  but  there 
would  be  no  injustice  in  allowing  an  mnocent  man 
gladly  to  surrender  his  one  life  to  save  the  lives  of 
rnillions  of  thg^guilty ;  especially  if  thereby  not  only 
the  interests  of  Law  were  secured,  but  those  guilty 
persons  became  good  citizens,  and  spent  their  re- 
deemed lives  in  their  country's  service. 

The  Atoning  Saviour  suffered  no  injustice  from 
His  Father,  since  He  not  only  was  a  voluntary 
sufferer,  but  was  not  permanently  a  loser.  In  His 
humanity  which  suffered,  *  God  hath'Tiighly  exalted 
Him,  and  given  Him  a  name  which  is  above  eve^ 
name.'  The  more  that  heroes  suffer,  the  more  they 
are  honoured.  Christ  '  for  the  joy  set  before  Him 
endured  the  cross ' :  not  a  selfish  joy  in  personal 
exaltation,  but  delight  in  the  salvation  of  sinners. 
The  innocent  Sufferer  is  crowned  with  glory  and 
honour,  while  we,  through  Him,  are  partakers  of 
eternal  life.  Both  the  Saviour  and  the  saved  rejoice 
together  (John  xiv.  3  ;  Heb.  ii.  9  ;  xii.  2  ;  Col.  i.  14- 
30;  Phil.  ii.  6-1 1  ;  Rev.  i.  5-7,  12-18  ;  v.  6-13). 

The  Atonement  is  in  accordance  with  justice,  not 
only  because,  by  the  death  of  Christ,  it  meets  all 
demands  for  punishment,  but  because  of  the  perfect 
obedience  He  rendered  in  the  place  of  man's  dis- 
obedience.    Law  is  honoured  not  merely  by  paying 


I02  ATONEMENT 

the  penalty  of  transgression,  but  by  supplying  the 
lack  of  obedience.  Not  only  is  payment  made  of 
the  sinner's  debt  to  justice,  but  justice  itself  is  put 
into  debt  by  the  infinitely  precious  obedience  of  the 
Mediator.  Justice  should  reward  merit  as  well  as 
claim  penalty  for  demerit.  If  the  latter  was  met 
by  Christ's  death,  the  former  was  acquired  by  His 
obedience.  He  was  under  no  necessity  to  submit 
to  human  obligations,  but  *  He  humbled  Himself, 
and  became  obedient  unto  the  Law,'  in  its  fullest 
demands,  even  unto  death.  This  obedience  of 
supererogation  acquired  infinity  of  merit  by  the 
union  of  the  Divine  nature  with  the  Son  of  Man. 

No  other  righteousness  could  be  adequate  to 
supply  the  immeasurable  defect.  '  There  was  no 
other  good  enough,'  not  only  '  to  pay  the  price  of 
sin,'  but  to  fill  the  measure  of  righteousness.  '  If 
through  the  one  man's  disobedience  many  became 
sinners,  even  through  the  obedience  of  One  shall 
the  many  be  made  righteous.'  This  righteousness 
is  presented  to  justice  as  a  claim  in  the  place  of 
man's  lack  of  righteousness,  his  penalty  for  which  has 
been  met  by  the  death  of  Christ.  Thus  the  Atone- 
ment establishes  justice  rather  than  contravenes  it, 
both  by  satisfying  its  claims  against  the  guilty,  and 
by  giving  the  guilty  a  righteous  plea,  on  the  ground 
of  the  perfect  obedience  of  their  Representative. 
Justice  is  honoured  while  mercy  is  bestowed. 

Atonement  by  substitution  has  been  illustrated 
by  the  supposed  conduct  of  the  chieftain  of  a  clan 


MISR1'.PRESENTATI0NS  AND  OBJECTIONS    103 

in  rebellion  against  the  prince  to  whom  he  himself 
is  loyal.  Loving  them,  he  grieves  for  their  con- 
duct ;  in  their  behalf  makes  submission,  and  offers 
himself  as  a  substitute  to  Law.  If  human  justice 
forbids  such  transfer,  the  human  conscience  feels 
that  the  offer  is  true  to  what  is  best  in  humanity. 
Christ's  grief  and  death  for  us  prove  that  He  is  all 
that  a  perfect  man  ought  to  be.  *  Regard  His  death 
not  solely  as  satisfaction  to  inexorable  justice,  but 
as  expression  of  a  perfect  Being's  abhorrence  of 
evil,'  together  with  compassion  for  evil-doers,  and 
*  we  can  see,  how,  as  perfect  Man,  He  would  desire 
thus  to  die  for  His  brethren,  and  how  God  would 
permit  and  even  desire  that  He  should  do  so,' 
especially  when  God  'has  restored  Hfe  by  taking 
it,  and  proclaimed  that  death,  true  penalty  for  sin, 
was  the  means  whereby  sin  should  be  slain,  the  only 
true  pathway  to  any  true  life  for  man  ^.' 

6.  That  Christ  suffered  only  to  show  Divine  Love. 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  how  such  sufterings 
display  love,  unless  undergone  for  some  positive 
advantage.  Useless  self-sacrifice  does  not  commend 
itselt  to  our  admiration.  A  mother  dies  by  a  con- 
tagious disease  contracted  in  nursing  a  son  who 
recovers  by  her  devotion :  he  must  always  be  im- 
pressed by  memory  of  such  love :  but  it  was  love 
with  a  practical  purpose.  Would  it  equally  influence 
his  life  if  she  had  risked  health  and  life  without  any 
view  to  his  comfort  or  recovery?  Would  a  man 
*  The  Atonement.    Rev.  J.  J.  Lias.    Lect  IV. 


I04  ATONEMENT 

demonstrate  love  by  entering  his  brother's  sinking 
boat  only  to  sink  with  him,  instead  of  with  the 
object  of  preventing  that  boat  from  sinking?  If 
love  might  rush  through  the  flames  merely  to  share 
the  fate  of  one  beloved,  love  would  be  more  wise 
and  impressive  if  the  risk  were  incurred  in  extin- 
guishing the  flames  and  rescuing  the  victim.  There 
is  no  virtue  in  self-sacrifice,  unless  for  some  advan- 
tage to  others.  -Loss,  pain,  sufiering,  death,  are  in 
themselves  evils ;  not  only  injurious  to  the  sufferer, 
but  when  of  no  benefit  to  others  may  be  morally 
wrong  when  volunteered, 

'  How  should  the  sufferings  of  Christ  be  emphati- 
cally proofs  of  His  Father's  love,  if  not  in  themselves 
instrumental  in  obtaining  substantial  benefits,  or 
how  could  we  derive  from  them  any  better  ground 
of  assurance  than  we  previously  had,  that  God  is 
willing  to  be  at  peace  with  us  ?  The  sufferings  of 
Christ  are  well  calculated  to  convince  us  of  the  love 
of  our  Father,  when  we  view  them  as  mealTT^f 
procuring  blessings  which  God  did  not  deem  it 
consistent  otherwise  to_bestow.'  Self-sacrifice  for 
its  own  sake  as  our  duty,  and  pleasing  to  God,  *  is 
inconsistent  with  any  view  of  the  Divine  character 
which  either  reason  or  revelation  has  unfolded ;  and 
is  much  less  akin  to  the  nature  of  that  wise,  holy, 
and  gracious  God  in  whom  we  are  taught  to  believe, 
than  to  that  of  the  capricious  and  cruel  divinities  of 
heathenism,  who  were  held  to  delight  in  aimless 
austerities  and  tortures.'    (Crawford.) 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS   105 

But  the  absolute  refutation  of  this  hypothesis  is 
presented  in  the  positive  and  repeated  declarations 
of  Christ  and  His  Apostles,  as  adduced  in  previous 
chapters.  Christ  in  suffering  did  show  forth  the 
Father's  love,  but  it  was  love,  in  suffering  endured 
to  save  us  from  sin  and  woe. 

7.  That  Atonement  is  inconsistent  with  Immuta- 
bility. 

God  is  unchangeably  righteous.  To  remit  punish- 
ment without  either  exacting  penalty,  or  in  some 
equivalent  manner  showing  displeasure  at  sin,  would 
be  a  change.  God  illustrates  immutable  perfections 
in  varying  methods.  Differing  substances  may 
reflect  the  same  light.  Changing  seasons  display 
the  unchanging  Creator.  He  carries  forward  His 
immense  designs  in  modes  which  may  appear  to  us 
variations,  but  which  are  the  evolution  of  an  un- 
alterable plan.  God  always  has  condemned  and 
punished  sin.  He  has  always  upheld  the  law  of 
righteousness.  The  Atonement  testifies  to  the 
justice  and  mercy  which  have  always  been  essential 
attributes  of  God.  The  revelation  has  varied,  but 
not  the  truth  itself.  The  quantity  and  strength  of 
the  light  reaching  the  earth  has  changed,  but  not 
the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  Under  all  dispensations 
there  has  been  fundamental  agreement.  '  Prophet 
and  evangelist  and  apostle  proclaim,  each  in  his 
appoiiited  and  successive  measure,  the  great  com- 
plex truth  that  there  is  for  the  penitent  the  fullest, 
freest  pardon,  and  also  that  this  pardon  has  been 


106  ATONEMENT 

procured  for  him  by  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  his 
Saviour  Christ.'     (Magee.) 

An  important  change  does  indeed  take  place, 
when,  '  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God.'  But  this  is  a  change  in  our  relation  to  Him, 
not  in  His  purposes  towards  us.  It  is  not  that  the 
light  has  now  begun  to  shine,  but  that  we  have 
passed  out  of  darkness.  By  faith  in  Christ  we  leave 
the  eternal  shadow  for  the  eternal  sunshine,  but  God 
remains  '  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever.' 

It  has  been  objected  that  pardon  was,  in  the  Old 
Testament,  offered  to  penitents  without  mention  of 
Atonement.  But  silence  is  not  denial.  One  aspect 
of  truth  is  not  contradicted  by  the  presentation  of 
its  supplement.  Repentance  has  always  been  the 
condition  of  pardon.  Atonement  the  ground  of  it. 
The  revelation  of  pardon  preceded  that  ot  the 
sacrifice  which  made  it  possible.  The  testimony  of 
David  that  'the  sacrifices  ot  God  are  a  broken 
spirit,'  and  that  of  St.  John, '  Christ  is  the  propitia- 
tion for  our  sins,'  are  equally  and  unchangeably 
true. 

God  did  not  refrain  from  forgiving  sinners  till 
Christ  died.  The  Lamb  was  'slain  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world '  in  the  loving  purpose  of 
the  Father.  For  ever  unrolling  was  the  parchment 
on  which  pardon  had  been  ever  inscribed.  Thus 
St.  Paul  says  that  we  are  'justified  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ,  whom  God  set  forth 
to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith,  by  His  blood, 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS    107 

to  show  His  righteousness,  because  of  the  passing 
over  of  the  sins  done  aforetime,  in  the  forbear  aiice  of 
God''  (Rom.  iii.  24-26).  So  that  in  the  'aforetime/ 
in  all  ages,  God  was  both  righteous  and  merciful, 
this  being  now  shown  in  the  Atonement,  whereby  in 
all  ages,  known  or  unknown,  sins  repented  of  have 
been  forgiven. 

8.  That  Atonement  arrays  the  Divine  attributes 
against  each  other. 

Viewed  in  one  aspect,  God  is  just :  in  another, 
merciful.  Could  we  comprehend  the  Infinite  with 
one  glance,  we  should  see  every  attribute  blending 
with  every  other,  to  constitute  a  perfect  whole. 
The  justice  is  ever  merciful,  the  mercy  is  ever  just. 
It  is  not  justice  which  is  the  agent  at  one  time, 
love  at  another ;  but  God  Himself,  the  Indivisible, 
at  all  times,  in  all  His  works.  'The  light  of  the 
sun  can  be  divided  into  all  the  various  hues  of  the 
rainbow,  and  we  can  make  each  of  these  the  object 
of  distinct  attention ;  but  it  is  the  combination  of 
them  all  that  constitutes  the  glorious  element,  of 
which  its  colourless  purity  is  the  prime  excellence. 
God  is  Light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  all.' 
(Wardlaw.)  Christ  is  the  manifestation  of  both 
rectitude  and  goodness.  There  is  no  opposition 
between  the  righteousness  which  demands  satis- 
faction and  the  love  which  provides  it.  God  is 
not  just  although  the  Justifier:  but  the  Atonement 
shows  Him  to  be  just  and  the  Justifier.  Christ  is 
not  a  barrier  opposing  the  stream  of  justice,  but  a 


108  ATONEMENT 

channel  by  which  it  flows  to  fertilise  instead  of  to 
destroy. 

When  there  is  no  regard  for  justice,  mercy  is 
indifference.  Each  shines  effulgent  in  the  light  of 
the  other.  God  is  righteous,  and  the  cross  exhibits 
His  hatred  of  sin :  God  is  gracious,  and  the  cross 
proclaims  His  love  to  the  sinner.  Had  not  justice 
demanded  it,  that  sacrifice  would  have  been  wanton: 
had  not  love  provided  it,  that  sacrifice  would  not 
have  been  offered.  At  the  cross  *  Mercy  and 
Truth  have  met  together.  Righteousness  and  Peace 
have  kissed  each  other.' 

9.  That  Atonement  represents  Christ  as  jjunished. 

At  the  risk  of  repetition,  in  reply  to  a  frequently 

repeated  objection,  we  say  that  punishment  implies 

^  guilt  in  him  who  suffers  it,  and  displeasure  in  him 

"'t^  s/   who  inflicts  it.    An  innocent  person  cannot  share  the 

/     faultiness  of  another,  although  he  may  endure  some 

of  its  evil  consequences.     Though  Christ  was  '  made 

sin  for  us,'  He  '  knew  no  sin '  Himself,  and  could 

not  share  ours,  and  therefore  His  sufferings  could 

not  be  penal. 

Nor  was  He  ever  regarded  by  the  Lawgiver  with 
displeasure.  The  voice  from  heaven  declared, '  This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,' 
immediately  after  He  with  Moses  and  Elias  had 
been  conversing  on  the  'decease  at  Jerusalem.'  In 
His  great  agony  He  invoked  God  as  'Father.' 
When  crying  out  as  one  forsaken  He  said,  ^ My 
God  I '    He  died  saying,  *  Father,  into  Thy  hands 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND   OBJECTIONS     109 

I  commend  My  spirit.'  As  He  neither  shared 
our  guilt  nor  the  Divine  displeasure,  He  was  not 
punished ;  though  He  died  that  we  who  merited 
punishment  might  be  saved. 

10.  That  the  Atonement  involves  a  '  legal  fiction' 
Pardon  does  not  transfer  our  guilt  to  Christ,  nor 
His  righteousness  to  us.  He  remains  faultless; 
and  we,  who  were  sinners,  are  delivered  from  the 
consequences  of  our  sin.  God  sees  both  exactly 
as  they  are,  but  treats  the  sinner  otherwise  than 
he  deserves,  because  the  Sinless  One  has  suffered 
in  his  behalf.  Transfer  of  legal  consequences  is 
possible  without  transfer  of  character,  which  is  im- 
possible. St.  Paul  did  not  become  guilty  of  the 
fault  of  Onesimus  when  he  wrote  to  Philemon, '  If 
he  oweth  thee  aught,  put  that  to  mine  account.' 
God  cannot  see  anything  otherwise  than  it  is,  but 
He  does,  by  the  substitution  of  'the  Just  for  the 
unjust,'  treat  us  otherwise  than  we  deserve,  and 
make  us  other  than  we  once  were.  The  holy  Jesus 
does  not,  with  His  pardon,  part  with  any  of  His 
purity,  nor  receive  any  of  our  sinfulness ;  but  by 
His  Atonement  we  do  escape  the  fatal  consequences 
of  our  sin,  and  so  His  righteousness  is  said  to  be 
imputed  to  us.  And  when  we  believe  in  Him  God 
sees  us,  not  as  being  what  we  formerly  were,  but 
what  we  noiv  are  ;  '  turned  from  darkness  to  light, 
and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God  ' ;  '  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  sons  and  daughters 
of  the  Lord  God  Almighty.' 


no  ATONEMENT 

11.  That  Atonement  abrogates  the  eternal  con- 
nexion be  five  en  sin  and  death. 

Christ  showed  that  even  under  a  special  act  of 
sovereign  grace,  death  must  be  conjoined  with  sin. 
Thus  we,  though  sinners,  may  live — but  only  because 
Christ,  our  Substitute,  died.  Moreover  we  can  only 
share  in  this  immunity  by  becoming  identified, 
through  faith,  with  Him  who  died.  We  are  crucified 
with  Christ.  And  in  this  very  act  of  faith  sin 
ceases  to  be  the  law  of  our  existence.  Those  who 
continue  in  sin,  continue  in  death.  They  who 
escaf>e  death  do  so  by  dying  with  Christ  a  death 
to  sin  and  a  new  life  unto  holiness  ;  illustrating  the 
eternal  connexion  of  sin  and  death. 

12.  That  the  sin  of  Adam  could  not  be  atoned 
by  another  and  greater  sin. 

Wicked  men  naturally  hated  Christ.  But  God 
overruled  their  cruel  designs  to  effect  His  loving 
purposes.  The  Jews  were  guilty  instruments  in 
effecting  results  not  of  their  own  purpose.  '  Him, 
being  delivered  up  by  the  determinate  counsel  and 
foreknowledge  of  God,  ye  by  the  hand  of  lawless 
men  did  crucify  and  slay '  (Acts  ii.  23).  But  there 
was  a  striking  congruity  between  the  manner  and 
the  purpose  of  His  death,  the  former  illustrating 
the  magnitude  of  the  evil  which  the  latter  was 
designed  to  remedy.  At  the  cross,  human  de- 
pravity was  exhibited  in  its  deepest  shades,  and 
divine  love  in  its  strongest  light-  It  was  fitting 
that  thus  the  disease  and  the  remedy  should  be 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS    III 

exhibited  together,  associated,  but  not  blended  ;  the 
greatest  act  of  mercy  being  performed  in  connexion 
with,  and  as  a  remedy  for,  the  worst  excesses  of 
wickedness. 

13.  That  the  same  penalty  due  from  sinners  can- 
not be  borne  by  Christ. 

The  doctrine  of  Atonement  does  not  teach  this. 
Part  of  the  penalty  is  remorse,  and  this  cannot  be 
felt  by  a  sinless  Being  :  part  is  eternal  death,  which 
cannot  be  shared  by  Him  who  is  '  The  Life.'  He 
did  die  bodily,  but  this  part  of  the  penalty  has  not 
been  removed,  for  it  is  still  *  appointed  unto  men 
once  to  die.'  Nor  did  He  undergo  the  same  amount 
of  suffering  which  would  have  been  endured  by  the 
whole  sinful  race.  But  He  did  fulfil  that  which 
otherwise  would  have  required  our  punishment. 
His  sufferings  were  vicarioys,  not  because  they  were 
identical^  but'^sufficienr*''Tie  so  stood  in  our  place 
as  to  remove^  oDStacles  to  our  forgiveness.  We 
may  be  saved,  not  because  an  amount  of  suffering 
sufficient  for  the  salvation  of  a  certain  number  was 
endured,  but  because  His  Atonement  made  it  con- 
sistent with  righteousness  that  any  sinner  accepting 
that  Atonement  may  be  saved  (Rom.  iii.  21-26 ; 
Eph,  i.  6,  7  ;  i  Tim.  iv.  10). 

But  such  salvation  is  still  a  free  gift,  and  not 
to  be  demanded  as  a  right.  The  announcement 
of  a  benefit  to  be  bestowed  on  certain  conditions 
does  not  turn  a  donation  into  a  debt.  Though  we 
ask  in  the  confidence  of  faith,  we  must  come  as 


112  ATONEMENT 

undeserving  penitents,  not  saying,  '  Pay  me  what 
thou  owest,'  but,  '  Have  mercy  upon  me  a  sinner.' 

Nor  is  the  punishment  of  the  impenitent  double 
payment.  They  remain  under  their  former  load  of 
debt,  which  is  increased  by  the  rejection  of  such 
mercy,  as  when  an  earthly  father's  appeal  to  a 
prodigal  child  is  disregarded.  If  the  son  of  some 
monarch  volunteered  at  great  risk  and  cost  to  go 
as  ambassador  to  a  province  in  rebellion,  proclaim- 
ing an  amnesty,  the  monarch  would  not  be  charge- 
able with  inflicting  double  punishment  on  those 
who  refused  to  lay  down  their  arms.  So  the  con- 
demnation of  persistent  sinners  is  the  necessary 
consequence  of  continued  sin,  and  not  repayment 
of  a  debt  already  discharged. 

14.  That  Atonement  implies  failure  in  the  case  of 
those  who  perish. 

The  brazen  serpent  was  God's  method  of  curing 
all  who  trusted  His  word,  and  if  one  alone  had  been 
healed  it  would  not  have  been  uplifted  in  vain.  If 
even  all  had  refused  to  look,  it  would  still  have 
been  an  exhibition  of  Divine  clemency.  So  the 
sacrifice  of  Christ  is  a  foundation  for  the  mere  offer 
of  mercy.  Eternal  life  obtained  by  even  one  sinner 
would  prove  that  the  blood  of  Christ  had  not  been 
shed  in  vain.  But  nothing  more  was  necessary  for 
the  salvation  of  the  whole  world.  The  great  gulf 
between  man  and  God  could  not  be  crossed  but  by 
abridge  of  Divine  construction  and  infinite  strength. 
Countless  hosts  may  pass  along  it,  and  it  shall  re- 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND   OBJECTIONS   11$ 

main  unimpaired ;  but  as  nothing  less  would  have 
sufficed  if  but  one  sinner  was  to  be  saved,  the  refusal 
of  any  to  escape  by  it  cannot  render  one  of  its 
stones  useless. 

15.  T^at  Atonement^  needed  for  all,  is  limited  to 
a  few. 

To  meet  the  objection  that  the  Atonement  has 
failed  in  the  case  of  those  who  perish,  some  have 
taught  that  it  was  provided  for  those  alone  who  are 
actually  saved,  and  therefore  has  in  no  case  been 
provided  in  vain.  This  has  raised  objections  to 
the  Atonement  itself,  on  the  ground  of  partiality 
to  the  few  and  unmercifulness  to  the  many.  The 
testimony  of  Scripture  is  emphatic,  that  Christ 
offered  Himself  as  '  the  Propitiation  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world.' 

God  is  represented  as  desiring  the  salvation  of 
all.  The  solemnity  of  an  oath  confirms  the  as- 
surance. He  '  sware  by  Himself  '  As  I  live,  saith 
the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of 
the  wicked,'  &c.,  *  God  our  Saviour  will  have  all  men 
to  be  saved,'  *  The  Lord  is  not  willing  that  any 
should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repent- 
ance '  (Ez.  xxxiii.  11;  I  Tim.  ii.  3,  4 ;  a  Pet.  iii. 
9 ;  &c.). 

Salvation  is  provided  for  all.  The  language  in 
John  iii.  16,  17  is  explicit.  *God  so  loved  the  world 
&c.  that  whosoever  believeth  should  have  everlast- 
ing life.'  *  He  is  the  Propitiation  for  our  sins,  and 
also  for  the  whole  world'   (i  John  ii.  a).      It  is 

H 


114  ATONEMENT 

co-extensive  with  the  ruin  it  was  to  remedy.  'All 
we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray ;  and  the  Lord  hath 
laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  us  all'  (Is.  liii.  6). 

It  is  sufficient  for  all.  If  '  God  was  in  Him, 
reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself/  the  Atonement 
He  provides  must  be  adequate  for  its  object.  None 
can  measure  the  '  Mighty  God  ' ;  and  no  arithmetic 
can  count '  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ' 

Salvation  is  offered  to  all.  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments re-echo  the  invitation.  *Ho !  every  one  that 
thirsteth  ! '  '  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labour  1 ' 
&c.  '  He  that  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of 
life  freely'  (Is.  Iv.  i  ;  Matt.  xi.  28  ;  John  vii.  37  ; 
Rev.  xxii.  17  ;  &c.).  Could  'the  Faithful  and  True 
Witness '  call  to  a  feast  those  for  whom  there  was 
no  provision? 

Christ  commanded  His  Apostles  to  '  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature'  They  were  to  carry 
'good  news'  not  only  to  the  human  race  in  general, 
but  to  every  individual  in  particular.  But  could 
the  Gospel  be  good  news  to  every  one  unless  pro- 
vided for  every  one  ?  Nay,  it  would  not  be  good 
news  to  any  one,  unless  those  for  whom  alone  it 
was  provided  were  infallibly  marked  out.  If  it 
were  announced  to  a  hundred  criminals  sentenced 
to  death  that  half  their  number  were  pardoned,  but 
their  names  not  given,  each  one  would  fear  he  was 
excluded. 

We  are  told  of  some  perishing  for  whom  Christ 
died.     '  Shall  the  weak  brother  perish  for  whom 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS    I15 

Christ  died}*  'There  shall  arise  false  teachers, 
denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them^  and  bring  upon 
themselves  swift  destruction '  (i  Cor.  viii.  1 1 ;  a  Pet. 
ii.  I  ;  Heb.  x.  29). 

Repentance  and  faith  are  enjoined  on  every  one. 
*  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way.  Seek  ye  the 
Lord  while  he  may  be  found.  God  commandeth 
all  men  everywhere  to  repent.  This  is  His  com- 
mandment, that  we  should  believe  in  the  name  of 
His  Son  Jesus  Christ,'  &c.  Jesus  preached, '  Repent 
ye,  and  believe  in  the  Gospel.'  St.  Peter  at  Pentecost 
said ,' Repent,  every  one  of  you'  (Is.  Iv.  7  ;  i  John  iii. 
23;  Mark  i.  i^\  Acts  ii.  38;  &c.).  If  every  one 
is  commanded  to  repent  and  believe,  it  is  obvious 
that  pardon  and  salvation  are  provided  for  every 
one. 

A II  are  condemned  who  reject  this  Salvation  (John 
iii.  18,  19  ;  Heb.  x.  38,  29). 

If  the  Atonement  by  Christ  was  not  adequate  for 
those  who  perish,  there  was  no  Christ  for  them,  and 
therefore  they  could  not  be  guilty  for  not  believing 
in  what  did  not  exist.  But,  '  This  is  the  judgment, 
that  the  Light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men 
loved  the  darkness  rather  than  the  Light ;  for  their 
deeds  were  evil'  (John  iii.  19). 

The  fact  that  it  is  God  who  has  provided  a 
remedy  for  a  universal  evil  implies  that  the  supply 
is  equal  to  the  necessity.  That  the  Mediator  is 
Divine  implies  that  His  efficacy  is  unlimited.  The 
unwillingness  of  some  to  leave  their  prison  does 
Ha 


Il6  ATONEMENT 

not  alter  the  fact  that  the  door  is  open  for  escape. 
Rejection  does  not  disprove  the  gift.  Infant  chil- 
dren, and  all,  *in  every  nation  who  fear  God  and 
work  righteousness,  are  accepted  with  Him,'  and 
saved  through  the  same  Atonement  for  the  sin  of 
the  world,  though  in  this  life  ignorant  of  it  (Acts  x. 
34,  S5 ;  Rom.  iii.  35  ;  Rev.  v.  9  ;  vii.  9). 

*  Was  Christ  a  ransom  for  non-Christians  ? 
Undoubtedly.  Why  then  did  they  not  believe? 
Because  they  would  not.  But  His  part  was  done' 
(Chrysostom).  '  God  shows  Himself  propitious  to 
the  whole  world ;  wherefore  all  men,  without  ex- 
ception, are  exhorted  to  believe  in  Christ '  (Calvin). 
'  He  offered  so  full  a  ransom  that  if  there  were 
never  so  many  to  be  saved,  there  needs  no  addi- 
tion '  (Howe).  '  Our  commission  is  to  offer  salva- 
tion, certain  salvation,  to  every  one  of  you,  to  the 
worst,  to  drunkards  and  swearers  and  thieves,  yea, 
to  the  despisers  of  salvation '  (Baxter).  'All  ought 
to  be  invited  to  come  to  God  through  this  all- 
sufficient  Atonement ;  and  all  who  accept  this 
invitation  are  as  much  "partakers  of  Christ"  as  if 
He  had  died  on  the  cross  for  them  alone '  (Scott). 
'  It  is  on  the  stepping-stone  of  a  universal  offer  that 
each  man  reaches  his  own  particular  salvation ' 
(Chalmers).  'The  Gospel  tells  every  sinner  that 
there  is  atonement  for  //m,  pardon  for  /lim,  salva- 
tion for  him '  (Wardlaw).  '  Christ  made  on  the 
cross  a  suf^cient  sacrifice  /or  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world'  (Liturgy). 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS  II 7 

1 6.  It  is  objected  that  Atonement  is  made  to  rest 
on  a  brief  event  which  occurred  long  ago  and  far 
away. 

The  importance  of  this  truth  is  the  apology  for 
again  referring  to  it  (see  chap.  ix.).  In  urging  atten- 
tion to  the  death  of  Christ  too  little  prominence 
has  sometimes  been  given  to  His  continued  Life. 
Atonement  is  not  the  event  which  took  place  at 
Jerusalem,  but  Christ  Himself,  who  continually 
presents  His  sacrifice  before  the  throne  of  God. 
*If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  with  the 
Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous  :  and  He  is  THE 
PROPITIATION  for  our  sins ' ;  not  the  mere  fact  of 
the  death,  but  He  Himself  now  not  a  historical  event, 
completed  and  past,  but  a  living  Person,  for  ever 
accomplishing  the  Atonement. 

Our  Lord  dwelt  emphatically  on  His  continued 
life.  *  I  lay  down  My  life,  that  /  may  take  it 
again'  (John  x.  17);  as  if  He  said,  *  My  love  for 
you  is  seen  not  only  in  My  dying  for  you,  but  in 
My  willingness,  as  man,  to  resume  life  in  your 
interest.  I  am  not  weary  of  this  Mediatorship,  so 
as  to  hasten  to  cast  off  My  humanity,  and  cease 
to  be  your  Advo^atfi*— I  will  return  from  Hades, 
and  arise  inTTie  flesh,  and  as  your  brother  ascend 
to  heaven,  and  there  present  My  glorified  body 
with  the  marks  of  sacrifice  on  your  behalf,  and  by 
My  intercession  and  the  work  of  My  Spirit,  com- 
plete in  you  the  salvation  which  is  deliverance 
from  all  sin.' 


Il8  ATONEMENT 

'  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  to  My  Father ; 
I  will  send  you  another  Comforter,  who  shall  abide 
with  you  for  ever ;  I  am  with  you  always ;  I  go  to 
prepare  a  place  for  you.'  '  This  same  jfesus ' 
ascended,  lives  on,  and  will  return.  The  Apostles 
rejoiced  in  this  assurance.  '  It  is  Christ  Jesus  that 
died,  yea,  rather  that  was  raised  from  the  dead, 
who  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh 
intercession  for  us.'  'The  Forerunner  is  for  us 
entered  within  the  veil ;  a  High  Priest  for  ever, 
unchangeable ;  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  seeing 
He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession.  Through  His 
own  blood  He  entered  in  once  for  all  into  the 
holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption ; 
now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us.  We 
have  not  a  High  Priest  that  cannot  be  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  infirmities.  Let  us  then  draw 
near  with  boldness  unto  the  throne  of  grace  '  (Rom. 
V.  lo ;  viii.  38  ;  Heb.  iv.  14-16;  vii.  24,  25  ;  ix.  11 ; 
X.  19-22,  &c.). 

As  still  engaged  in  mediatorial  work  He  was 
revealed  to  St.  John  as  '  He  that  holdeth  the  seven 
stars  in  His  right  hand,  and  walketh  in  the  midst 
of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  The  seven  stars 
are  the  angels  faiinisters)  of  the  seven  churches, 
and  the  seven  candlesticks  are  the  seven  churches.' 
He  is  also  described  appearing  in  heaven  as  '  a 
Lamb  standing,  as  though  it  had  been  slain.'  Full 
of  life  and  energy,  but  with  memorials  of  sacrificial 
death.    The  death  was  an  event  past,  the  life  was 


MISREPRESENTATIONS  AND  OBJECTIONS   II9 

Still  going  on,  but  not  apart  from  the  death ;  Jesus 
who  once  died,  alive  for  ever  to  perfect  the  salva- 
tion of  all  who  believe.  Thus  He  is  extolled  in  the 
celestial  anthem,  '  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  hath 
been  slain '  (Rev.  v.  6-14). 

Christ  is  thus  in  His  own  person  and  continued 
life  our  Propitiation.  Having  suffered  for  sin  on 
the  cross,  He  entered  heaven  to  plead  the  cause  of 
those  for  whom  He  died.  As  our  High  Priest,  He 
still  receives  our  confessions,  confers  absolution, 
presents  to  God  on  our  behalf  His  own  perfect 
righteousness,  bestows  His  Holy  Spirit  to  make  us 
holy,  reconciling  us  more  and  more  to  God,  who 
through  Him  has  been  reconciled  to  us.  He  was 
'  delivered  up  for  our  trespasses,  and  was  raised  for 
our  justification.'  On  account  of  our  sins  He  died 
as  a  sacrifice  of  Propitiation,  that  we  might  be  for- 
given ;  and  lived  again  on  account  of  our  justifica- 
tion, that  the  purpose  of  God  in  our  conformity  to 
His  righteousness  might  be  accomplished  by  the 
continued  agency  of  the  ever-living  Propitiation. 
The  sacrifice  of  the  cross  to  atone  for  guilt, 
accepted  and  avowed  by  the  Resurrection,  is  daily 
presented  to  God  as  a  memorial  and  a  plea,  satisfy- 
ing Law  and  proclaiming  Love,  securing  pardon  of 
sin  and  purification  of  life.  Not  merely  death,  but 
life  through  death,  was  the  Atonement ;  not  merely 
the  cross,  but  the  crown  it  won  ;  not  merely  for- 
giveness through  the  suffering,  but  triumph  through 
the  victory  of  ChrisL 


lao  ATONEMENT 

Thus  we  plead,  not  a  historical  fact  and  a  doc- 
trinal explanation,  but  our  living  Saviour  on  the 
Throne,  to  whom,  'alive  for  evermore,'  we  bring 
our  daily  homage  of  praise  and  services. 

1 7 .  That  A  tonemen  t  encourages  sin . 

In  the  time  of  St.  Paul  and  ever  since  some  have 
objected  to  the  Atonement  as  encouraging  sin,  by 
substituting  the  righteousness  and  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  for  the  obedience  and  punishment  of 
men,  who  may  be  tempted  to  say,  '  Let  us  con- 
tinue in  sin  that  grace  may  abound.'  To  meet 
this  objection,  and  illustrate  the  Apostle's  protest, 
'  God  forbid  I '  is  the  purpose  of  the  following 
chapter. 


CHAPTER  XV] 

ATONEMENT  A  POWER  FOR  PURITY. 

Deliverance  from  the  penalty  alone  would  not 
be  salvation.  The  Christ  was  named  Jesus,  'be- 
cause He  should  save  His  people  from  their  sins' 
He  demanded  from  all  His  followers  a  personal 
righteousness,  summarised  in  the  purest  code  of 
ethics — the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  His  perfect 
life  was  a  pattern  to  His  adherents.  '  If  any  man 
would  come  after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take 
up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  Me'  (Matt.  v. — vii. ; 
Luke  ix.  23  ;  xiv.  26).  The  Apostles  demanded,  in 
His  name,  such  practical  righteousness.  '  The  grace 
of  God  hath  appeared,  bringing  salvation,  instruct- 
ing us  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts 
we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly.' 
'  Christ  gave  Himself  for  us,  that  He  might  redeem 
us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  Himself  a 
people  for  His  own  possession,  zealous  of  good 
works'  (Rom.  vi.  11-13  ;  xii.  i  ;  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20 ; 
xiii. ;  Tit.  ii.  iT-14). 


122  ATONEMENT 

The  demand  for  righteousness  by  the  Gospel  of 
Atonement  is  clear.  But  does  it  supply  the  power  ? 
Does  it  change  the  evil  tendencies  and  cure  the 
poisoned  fountain  ?  Christ  taught  the  necessity  of 
this.  '  Ye  must  be  bom  again/  And  He  produces 
it.  To  be  saved,  He  tells  us  we  must  be  '  born  of 
the  Spirit.'  He  came  to  bestow  this  heavenly 
producer  of  holiness.  The  Baptist,  His  forerunner 
and  herald,  said, '  He  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with 
water  said  unto  me,  Upon  whomsoever  thou  shalt 
see  the  Spirit  descending,  the  same  is  He  that 
baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  I  have  seen, 
and  have  borne  witness  that  this  is  the  Son  of  God.' 
Jesus  claimed  this  power  of  bestowing  the  Holy 
Spirit  when  He  said,  '  He  that  believeth  on  Me, 
out  of  his  heart  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water. 
This  spake  He  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that 
believed  on  Him  were  to  receive.'  All  who  accept 
Him  as  the  Propitiation  receive  from  Him  the 
Holy  Spirit,  whose  influence  is  like  that  of  a  pure 
fountain  within  their  own  hearts,  sending  forth 
streams  of  holy  thoughts,  desires,  motives,  and 
conduct  (Matt.  iii.  ii ;  John  i.  ^^;  iii.  i-8;  vii. 
37-39;  xiv.  16;  xvi.  7-11). 

The  special  fulfilment  of  this  promise  was  the  first 
act  of  the  Risen  Christ,  when  St.  Peter,  linking 
pardon  with  the  Spirit  of  Holiness,  said, '  Repent  ye, 
and  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  unto 
the  remission  of  your  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; ' — and  three  thousand  re- 


ATONEMENT  A  POWER  FOR  PURITY   1 23 

nounced  their  sins.  This  work  of  reformation  was 
ascribed  to  Him  who  atones.  '  This  Jesus^  whom 
ye  crucified,  having  received  of  the  Father  the 
promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  He  hath  poured  forth 
this  *  (Acts  ii.  33-42). 

ApostoHc  teaching  constantly  links  the  gift  of 
the  Spirit  with  the  atoning  Sacrifice,  and  the 
reception  of  pardon  with  the  purify  the  Holy 
Spirit  produces.  *  Christ  redeemed  us  .  .  .  that  we 
might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith 
.  .  .  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Saviour.'  It  is  '  through  the  Spirit '  that 
we  '  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body.'  We  are  '  chosen 
to  salvation  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit: 
walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh.  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love.' 
Holiness  is  thus  inseparable  from  receiving  the 
Atonement.  The  hand  that  grasps  the  pardon  of 
sin  is  impelled  by  the  Spirit  who  prompts  to  the 
conquest  of  sin.  Because  'He  worketh  within  us 
both  to  will  and  to  work,'  we  'work  out  our  own 
salvation'  (Gal.  iii.  13,  14;  v.  16-24;  Eph.  il  10; 
iii.  16,  17  ;  Phil.  ii.  12,  13  ;  Tit.  iii.  5-8). 

This  power  for  holiness  helps  us  to  obey  the 
Truth  which  teaches  it.  Our  Lord  prays, '  Sanctify 
them  through  Thy  Truth,  Thy  word  is  Truth.'  He 
was  Himself  '  The  Word '  revealing  God  to  men. 
The  gospel  of  Atonement  is  the  Truth  specially 
adapted  to  make  men  holy,  not  merely  in  addition 
to  forgiveness,  but  because  of  it* 


134  ATONEMENT 

Delivered  from  moral  incapacity  and  despair,  we 
are  encouraged  to  exertion.  Our  prison  doors 
being  opened  and  our  chains  broken,  we  go  forth 
from  the  pollution  and  darkness  of  the  dungeon  to 
'cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh 
and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord.'  The  captive  bound  hand  and  foot  cannot 
render  service,  but  when  set  free  he  exclaims,  '  O 
Lord,  truly  I  am  Thy  servant.  Thou  hast  loosed 
my  bonds.'  Liberation  precedes,  but  as  surely 
produces  service.  He  who  was  so  crushed  with 
debt  that  a  thousand  years  of  toil  could  not 
V  perceptibly  lessen  it,  may  fold  his  arms  in  despair ; 
but  if  assured  that  all  his  debts  are  cancelled,  he  at 
once  feels  an  incentive  to  diligence. 

Gratitude  impels  to  righteousness.  I  was  *  dead, 
but  am  alive  again,  I  was  lost,  but  am  found.  What 
shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  His  benefits  towards 
me?'  The  prodigal  yearns  to  please  Him  who 
sent  his  well-beloved  Son  to  bring  him  home.  He 
who  died  for  me  says,  *  If  ye  love  Me,  ye  will  keep 
My  commandments,'  and  I  exclaim.  '  Lord,  what 
wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do  ?  *  '  There  is  forgiveness 
with  Thee,  that  Thou  mayest  be  feared  ' — the  filial 
fear  that  shuns  whatever  may  displease  a  loving 
father. 

Gratitude  for  salvation  is  increased  by  contem- 
plating the  means  by  which  it  is  bestowed.  If 
forgiven;  I  owe  it  to  'the  blood  which  clcanseth 
from  all  sin.'    If  restored  to  God,  I  was  '  reconciled 


ATONEMENT  A   POWER  FOR  PURITY        1 25 

by  the  death  of  His  Son.'  If  I  rejoice  in  hope,  '  He 
died  for  us,  that  we  should  live  together  with  Him.' 
Love,  more  potent  than  fear,  prompts  obedience  in 
those  who  are  now '  not  their  own,  but  bought  with 
a  price.'  'We  love  Him  because  He  first  loved 
us.'  'The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.'  Since, 
in  Christ's  death,  believers  died,  and  in  His  resur- 
rection rise  to  newness  of  life,  can  we  plead  His 
death  as  excuse  for  continuing  to  sin  ?  '  God 
forbid !  We  who  died  to  sin,  how  shall  we  any 
longer  live  therein  ?  Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in 
your  mortal  body,  but  present  yourselves  unto 
God,  as  alive  from  the  dead,  and  your  members 
as  instruments  of  righteouness  unto  God '  (Rom.  iii. 
24,  25  ;  vi.). 

Those  who  accept  Christ  as  their  representative 
not  only  plead  His  obedience  for  the  pardon  of 
their  defects,  but  acknowledge  it  as  representing 
what  they  themselves  ought  and  strive  to  do. 
Acceptance  of  Christ  to  escape  from  penalty  is 
a  pledge  to  imitate  His  purity,  and  by  constraint 
of  love  secures  obedience  more  complete  than  mere 
law  could  compel.  Thus  the  death  of  Christ  was 
a  work  not  only  for  man,  but  in  man:  not  lowering 
righteousness  to  our  level,  but  lifting  us  up  to  the 
righteousness  of  God.  Salvation  by  faith,  instead 
of  excusing  sin,  condemns  and  conquers  it;  true 
faith  being  the  sinner's  response  to  God's  love  and 
righteousness,  exhibited  by  man's  representative. 

This  is  the  argument  of  St.  Paul  in  the  Epistle 


126  ATONEMENT 

to  the  Romans.  Having  shown  that  the  law  could 
not  justify,  he  then  in  the  seventh  chapter  showed 
its  inability  to  sanctify.  *  O  wretched  man  that 
I  am  ! '  Then  he  rejoices  that  *  There  is  no  con- 
demnation to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus ' ;  not 
only  because  they  are  pardoned  through  the  Atone- 
ment, but  because  thereby  they  receive  grace  to 
conquer  the  sinfulness  which  the  law  condemned, 
but  could  not  cure.  The  Holy  Spirit  given  by 
Christ,  and  the  motives  of  love  inspired,  enable 
the  believer  to  attain  a  personal  righteousness  he 
failed  to  reach  by  law.  *  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of 
life  in  Christ  Jesus  made  me  free  from  the  law 
of  sin  and  death.  For  what  the  law  could  not 
do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God, 
sending  His  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh 
and  as  an  off'ering  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the 
flesh,'  i.e.  destroyed  its  power  over  those  who 
believe  in  Christ,  '  that  the  ordinance  of  the  law 
might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the 
flesh,  but  after  the  spirit,'  i.e.  the  result  of  faith 
in  Christ  is  practical  holiness  of  life. 

Atonement  promotes,  and  in  those  who  truly 
believe  in  Christ  compels,  that  '  love  which  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law.'  What  stronger  bond  of 
brotherhood  than  this,  that  the  same  Redeemer 
died,  and  pleads  before  the  throne,  for  all  men 
alike !  What  an  obligation  to  '  honour  all  men ! ' 
How  can  we  despise,  oppress,  insult  any  who 
equally  share  with  us  the  redemption  of  the  cross ! 


ATONEMENT  A  POWER  FOR  PURITY   127 

*  Hereby  know  we  love,  because  He  laid  down  His 
life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives 
for  the  brethren.'  The  enmities  of  Jew  and  Gentile, 
of  Greek  and  barbarian,  should  cease  amongst  those 
who  are  '  made  nigh  in  the  blood  of  Christ ;  for 
He  is  our  peace,  who  made  both  one';  through 
whom  we  all  have  'access  in  one  Spirit  unto  the 
Father ' ;  no  more  strangers,  but  fellow-citizens  of 
the  household  of  God.  Thus  the  death  of  the 
Representative  and  Saviour  of  all  men  should  bind 
all  men  together  as  a  Divine  brotherhood,  by  first 
drawing  them  together  under  the  one  Fatherhood. 
The  problem  of  Socialism,  Altruism,  Humani- 
tarianism,  is  solved  by  the  cross.  Belief  of  this 
would  make  war  impossible,  and  the  very  thought- 
of  it  hideous.  There  is  much  in  nationality,  race, 
language,  to  bind  men  together  in  patriotic  affinity, 
but  there  can  be  nothing  which  has  so  strong  a 
claim  as  community  in  the  Atonement.  Common 
love  to  the  one  Redeemer  is  the  most  binding 
influence  to  unite  believers  to  each  other,  and 
should  so  compel  love  to  all  for  whom  the  same 
Saviour  died,  that  the  all  comprehensive  law  of 
righteousness  would  be  observed,  '  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself.' 

Thus  the  love  of  God  is  revealed  so  as  to  con- 
quer man's  indifference  and  enmity.  Salvation  is 
reconciliation — not  by  a  merely  external  work  done 
for  us,  but  by  bringing  us  into  loving  harmony 
with  God  and  men  ;  so  that  as  the  Divine  nature 


ia8  ATONEMENT 

unites  with  the  human  in  Christ,  so  we  by  faith 
are  one  with  Christ,  and  so  with  God.  Faith  is 
'  the  Amen  of  humanity  to  the  righteous  judgment 
of  God.'  It  is  the  recognition  and  confession  of 
our  guilt,  heartfelt  sorrow  for  it,  absolute  renun- 
ciation of  it,  acceptance  of  Christ's  own  obedience, 
not  as  our  excuse,  but,  while  a  plea  for  mercy,  a 
pledge  that  we  will  copy  it  as  the  true  model, of 
our  life,  and  the  sign  that  we  are  partakers  of  His 
salvation.  He  saves  us  from  the  penalties  of  sin 
by  bearing  them  for  us ;  and  from  the  power  of 
sin  by  the  grace  of  repentance,  the  constraint  of 
love,  and  the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Matt,  v.,  vi., 
vii. ;  John  xv.  1-17;  Rom.  xii. ;  i  Cor.  xiii. ; 
Jas.  ii.,  &c.). 

In  summing  up  this  argument  we  are  entitled 
to  say  that  those  who  object  to  the  Atonement 
as  if  it  encouraged  sin  are  ignorant  of  its  nature, 
purpose,  and  results.  The  Atonement,  instead  of 
weakening  love,  establishes  its  foundations  by  as- 
serting its  just  demands,  by  providing  power  for 
meeting  them,  and  by  the  pardon  of  violations  of 
it  only  in  connexion  with  satisfying  its  claims. 
The  standard  of  those  claims  is  not  lowered,  but 
exalted  by  the  Gospel.  Sin  is  revealed  as  exceed- 
ingly sinful  by  the  exceeding  costliness  of  the 
ransom  from  its  penalty.  Practical  holiness  is 
insisted  on  by  Him  who  is  the  Propitiation,  and 
by  His  Apostles,  as  essential  in  all  who  are  saved 
by  it,  and  as  a  necessary  result  and  evidence  of 


ATONEMENT  A  POWER  FOR  PURITY   1 29 

faith.  Without  detracting  from  the  free  gift  of 
salvation,  the  motive  of  reward  is  not  absent,  inas- 
much as  although  the  saved  by  grace  can  have 
no  legal  claim,  yet  grace  upon  grace  is  given  in 
the  promise  of  recognition  for  all  obedience  and 
faithful  service ;  and  all  such  efforts  are  stimulated 
by  the  motive  of  loyalty  to  the  Saviour — '  Ye  did 
it  unto  Me.'  By  the  Atonement  we  obtain  the 
help  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  inspires  the  love  of 
holiness  and  enables  the  believer  to  practise  it. 
By  the  Atonement  we  are  released  from  conditions 
which  rendered  true  service  to  God  impossible,  and 
gratitude  prompts  obedience.  '  We  love  Him  who 
first  loved  us.'  The  Love  of  Christ  constraineth  us. 
Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  Law.  All  who  share 
in  this  Atonement  are  bound  together  by  bonds 
of  a  love  which  fulfils  all  obligations  to  mankind. 
Thus  the  Atonement  is  not  only  a  provision  for 
pardon,  but  a  power  for  purity;  not  only  demand- 
ing righteousness,  but  producing  it ;  the  Sacrifice 
by  which  sin  is  forgiven  realising  its  purpose  only 
when  sin  is  slain.  '  Do  we  make  void  the  Law  by 
Faith?   Nay,  we  establish  the  Law.'    (Rom. iii. 31.) 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

JUSTIFICATION   AND  SANCTIFICATION. 

The  reader  is  asked  to  excuse  some  repetition  of 
topics  in  preceding  pages  which  have  set  forth  what 
is  the  basis  both  of  Justification  and  Sanctification — 
the  Atonement  as  the  method  of  our  pardon  and  our 
purity.  It  may  be  useful  in  addition  to  refer  to  that 
personal  acceptance  of  the  Atonement  which  at 
once  secures  what  is  termed  '  Justification'  in  its 
connexion  with  the  moral  influence  on  character, 
which  commences  with  Justification,  but  which 
is  progressive  towards  perfection,  and  is  termed 
J  Sanctification^ 

How  can  man  be  just  with  God  ?  By  obeying 
the  Law,  or  by  suffering  its  penalty.  In  the  former 
he  fails :  by  the  latter  he  perishes.  God  Incarnate, 
in  man's  nature  and  as  his  representative,  perfectly 
obeyed  the  Law,  and  suffered  its  penalty.  By  union 
with  Him  through  faith  we  so  share  His  fulfilment 
of  Law  that  Justice  is  vindicated,  while  we  are  for- 
jven.     Christ's  righteousness  atones  for  our  lack 


JUSTIFICATION   AND  SANCTIFICATION      131 

of  it,  and  His  death  is  substituted  for  our  punish- 
ment. Law  has  no  punitive  claim  on  a  sinner 
trusting  in  Him  who  'was  delivered  up  for  our 
trespasses  and  raised  again  for  our  justification.' 
'  Justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  (Rom.  iii.  21-26  ;  iv.  22-25  > 
v.  I,  &c.) 

We  plead  His  death  in  answer  to  the  accusations 
of  Justice ;  we  present  to  God  His  righteousness  in 
homage  to  the  Law  we  have  broken,  and  as  a  pledge 
by  His  grace  to  imitate  it.  Faith  confesses  our 
guilt,  pleads  His  righteousness,  and  accepts  His 
salvation,  both  to  screen  us  from  punishment  and 
to  make  us  good.  We  so  adopt  all  He  confesses 
and  engages  to  do  on  our  behalf,  that  we  are 
identified  with  Him  ;  and  as  the  Father  accepts 
Him,  so  we  are  accepted  in  Him.  '  There  is  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.' 
Christ  has  borne  our  sins,  not  as  sharing  our  guilt, 
but  as  removing  from  us  the  penalty ;  and  we  share 
His  righteousness,  as  having  the  advantage,  though 
not  the  merit  of  it. 

Faith  in  Christ  says,  *  I  confess  for  myself  the 
guilt  He  confessed  for  the  race,  the  justice  which 
condemns  it,  the  mercy  which  provides  a  remedy. 
I  also  accept  the  righteousness  He  wrought  out,  not 
only  to  cover  my  unrighteousness,  but  as  a  model 
and  incentive  for  imitation.  In  His  death  I  die  to 
sin  :  in  His  resurrection  I  rise  to  a  new  life  of 
righteousness :  in  His  obedience  I  desire  to  share, 
in 


132  ATONEMENT 

not  only  by  imputation  of  legal  benefit,  but  by 
impartation  of  moral  influence  to  imitate  it  in 
personal  self-surrender.  Lord,  I  believe,  help  Thou 
my  unbelief.'  Such  faith  justifies  ;  for  the  justice 
of  God  is  acknowledged,  His  mercy  accepted,  His 
rule  recognised,  and  the  sinner  reconciled.  Thus 
we  are  justified,  not  continuing  disobedient,  but 
having  become  '  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus.'  We 
are  now  sharers  in  His  own  life,  as  branches  in  a 
tree,  as  members  in  a  body  of  which  He  is  the  Head, 
sharing  His  thoughts  and  purposes.  'Justified  by 
faith,  we  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the 
Spirit.'  Thus  Justification  is  virtually  linked  with 
Sanctification,  its  object  and  result. 

We  thus  '  win  Christ,  and  the  righteousness  which 
is  of  God  by  faith.'  If  Levitical  sacrifices  removed 
ceremonial  pollutions,  *  how  much  more  shall  the 
blood  of  Christ,  who  offered  Himself  without  spot 
to  God,  purge  our  conscience  from  dead  works,  to 
serve  the  living  God} '  We  '  enter  into  the  holiest 
by  the  blood  of  Christ*  and,  cleansed  from  guilt 
(justified),  are  now  permitted,  inclined,  enabled,  im- 
pelled, to  '  serve  the  living  God '  (Sanctification) 
(Heb.  ix.  14).  We  'know  Him,'  i.e.  accept  His  gift, 
acknowledge  His  authority:  '  and  the  power  of  His 
resurrection' ;  i.e.  have  been  raised  from  the  death 
of  sin  into  a  new  life  of  holiness :  '  and  the  fellow- 
ship of  His  sufferings' ;  i.e.  grief  for  sin,  our  own 
and  that  of  others  ;  '  being  conformed  unto  His 
^         death '  \  i.  e.  acknowledging  we  deserved  death  for 

<^'-^^- ^w^^  ,u^ 


yf: 


^'^-^l-.w^ 


Jto^ 


J~ 


JUSTIFICATION   AND  SANCTIFICATION      133 

the  sins  He  bore,  trusting  in  His  Sacrifice,  and  being 
ready  to  die  for  His  name  (Phil.  iii.  7-14). 

Ancient  sacrifices,  whatever  else  their  design, 
Caught  these  two  lessons — forfriv^ness  in  connexion  / 
with  the  death  of  the  victim,  and  the  surrender  of 
our  best  to  God.  So  the  priceless  sacrifice  of  Christ 
is  a  sure  basis  for  our  hope  of  pardon,  and  His  per- 
fect obedience  both  a  plea  and  a  pattern  for  our  own 
righteousness.  Faith  relies  on  this  '  Lamb  of  God 
that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world ' ;  accepting 
Him  as  our  only  Saviour  both  from  the  penalty  and 
power  of  sin.  Thus  faith  is  more  than  assent  of 
Intellect,  it  is  compliance  nf  jyill  j^  not  conviction 
oi  a  rruth,  but  surrender  to  a  Person.  Atonement 
is  more  than  a  dogma  for  the  mind,  a  creed  for  the 
tongue.  Christ  Himself  is  the  Propitiation,  and 
therefore  Faith  is  surrender  to  Him  j  not  admitting 
dead  facts,  but  la}'TngTioIcr  0^0,  living-  Lord.  There 
is  such  a  union  with  Christ  by  faith,  that  in  the 
sight  of  the  Law  we  are  regarded  as  if  we  obeyed 
and  suffered  in  His  person,  and  had  risen  with  Him 
to  a  new  life. 

It  is  still  more  than  this.  It  is  such  a  union  with 
Christ  that  we  not  only  receive  the  pardon  He  pro- 
cures, but  Himself  as  our  indwelling  life ;  so  that 
we  approve,  desire,  and  perform  His  will.  '  I  live  ; 
and  yet  no  longer  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me :  and 
that  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  in  faith 
in  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  Him- 
self up  for  me'  (Gal.  ii.  ao,  21). 


( 


134  ATONEMENT 

As  shown  in  the  preceding  chapter,  holiness  re- 
sults from  conformity  to  Christ  by  faith.  If  we 
are  'members  of  His  body,  His  flesh,  and  His 
bones,'  how  can  it  be  but  that  we  are  sharers  in 
His  thoughts,  His  purposes,  His  will  concerning  us, 
and  so  be  sharers  in  His  righteousness,  not  only  by 
the  imputation  which  screens  us  from  penalty,  but 
as  the  daily  desire  of  our  heart  and  practice  of  our 
life  ?  Such  faith,  though  it  can  plead  no  merit  as 
of  works,  is  yet  work  of  the  most  comprehensive 
nature,  the  germ  of  all  future  holiness.  Jesus  said, 
'This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  Him 
whom  He  hath  sent.' 

By  Atonement  we  are  delivered  from  death, 
being  justified ;  and  spend  our  new  life  in  serving 
God,  being  sanctified.  In  Justification  our  chains 
are  at  once  broken,  in  Sanctification  we  run  contin- 
uously and  progressively  in  the  way  of  God's  com- 
mandments :  the  latter  needing  the  former,  the 
former  prompting  the  latter.  The  pardoned  sinner 
is  admitted  to  the  arena  of  the  saints ;  not  till  then 
can  he  run  the  race  ;  but  then,  he  cannot  be  re- 
strained, and  presses  onward  towards  the  goal. 
Pardon  and  Purity  '  are  separate,  but  simultaneous. 
Like  the  two  gases  under  the  electric  spark,  they 
meet.  There  is  a  flash  of  light ;  and  then  a  calm, 
pure  river  of  life,  clear  as  crystal  proceeding  out  of 
the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  '  (Candlish). 

St.  Paul  thus  links  Justification  with  Sanctification 
by  the  Atonement — '  Christ  Jesus  was  made  unto 


JUSTIFICATION  AND  SANCTIFICATION       1 35 

US  from  God,  righteousness,  and  sanciification,  and 
redemption^  '  But  ye  were  washed,  but  ye  were 
sanctified,  but  ye  were  justified  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  '  By  grace  have  ye  been  saved 
through  faith ' — Justification  :  '  Created  in  Christ 
Jesus  for  good  works ' — Sanctification  (i  Cor.  i.  30 ; 
vi.  II ;  Eph.  ii.  10). 

St.  Peter  thus  represents  JuatificalMLas  the  pro- 
ducing cause  of  Sanctification.  '  He  bore  our  sins 
in  His  body  on  the  tree ' — 'justification :  '  Tliat  we, 
having  died  unto  sins,  might  live  unto  righteousness' 
— Sanctification :  '  By  whose  stripes  ye  were  healed' 
— both  by  His  cross.  '  For  ye  were  going  astray 
like  sheep,  but  are  now  returned  unto  the  Shepherd 
and  Bishop  of  your  souls  ' — ceasing  to  do  evil  and 
learning  to  do  well.  '  Christ  suffered  for  you ' — 
Justification  :  *  That  ye  should  follow  His  steps ' — 
Sanctification  (i  Pet.  ii.  21-25). 

Justification  and  Sanctification  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated. Pardon  is  the  fountain  from  which  purity 
flows,  the  sunshine  in  which  it  lives.  It  is  not  a 
foundation  on  which  a  superstructure  may  be  reared, 
but  a  healthy  root  out  of  which  the  tree  must  grow. 
So  intimate  is  their  association,  that  the  Faith  by 
which  we  receive  Justifying  grace  is  evidence  that 
we  are  already  under  the  influence  of  sanctifying 
power. 

Forgiveness  by  the  death  of  Christ  is  the  ob- 
jective fact  of  salvation  ;  and  justifying  faith  is 
the  subjective  fountain  from  which  all  streams  of 


^  ^Wiec^v 


1^6  ATONEMENT 

righteousness  flow.  Instead  of  first  trying  to  change 
ourselves  to  effect  Sanctification,  we  must  believe 
in  Christ,  by  whom  alone  that  change  is  wrought. 
Union  with  Him  produces  reformation  of  life.  Re- 
moval of  guilt  in  Justification  not  only  precedes  but 
produces  Sanctification.  We  must  live  before  we 
can  work.  '  Justification  and  Sanctification  are  the 
two  glorious  pillars  which  stand  at  the  entrance 
of  heaven,  but  the  atoning  death  of  Christ  is  the 
foundation  on  which  both,  and  both  equally,  rest. 
Without  this  they  stand  on  air.  The  Divine 
philosophy  of  the  Word  of  God  is  this — without 
redemption  there  is  no  forgiveness,  without  forgive- 
ness there  is  no  sanctification  of  character  and  life, 
for  there  is  no  root  of  gratitude  from  which  it  can 
grow  ^' 

*  Atonement  in  Relation  to  Pardon.    Enoch  Mellor,  D  D- 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE. 

The  essential  truth  of  the  Atonement,  as  the 
foundation  fact  of  Christianity,  is  that  by  the  suf- 
ferings and  death  of  Christ  we  obtain  forgiveness 
of  sin,  and,  as  the  result  of  such  change  in  our  con- 
dition towards  God,  experience  such  a  change  of 
character  in  ourselves  that  we  conquer  sin  itself. 
This  is  a  fact  independent  of  varieties  of  theory, 
clearly  asserted  by  Holy  Scripture. 

It  has  been  shown  in  preceding  chapters  that 
sacrifices  of  the  Old  Testament  did  teach,  sym- 
bolically, the  forgiveness  of  sin.  The  prophets 
predicted  the  coming  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  death 
whereby  Atonement  would  be  accomplished.  The 
writers  of  the  New  Testament  referred  to  these 
sacrifices  and  quoted  these  predictions  as  ful- 
filled in  Christ.  The  prophecy  of  Isaiah  emphat- 
ically testifies  not  only  to  the  death  of  Christ, 
but  to  its  purpose — *  He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions.'    The  Herald  of  Christ  pointed  Him 


138  ATONEMENT 

out  as  *  The  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world,'  the  real  Sacrifice,  given  by  God 
Himself,  to  deliver  the  world  from  the  curse  of 
sin. 

Christ  Himself  taught  this  as  the  great  object  of 
His  coming.  He  endorsed  the  statement  of  John 
by  vindicating  the  Baptist's  Divine  mission.  He 
said  of  Himself  that  He  had  come  to  give  His  life 
a  ransom  for  many.  He  instituted  a  solemn  feast 
in  which  the  bread  was  to  represent  His  body 
broken,  and  the  cup  the  '  New  Testament  in  His 
blood,  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins.' 

Atonement  as  the  Fundamental  Fact  of  Chris- 
tianity is  testified  in  the  perpetual  celebration  of 
this  Christian  Passover,  instituted  for  this  very 
purpose,  to  'show  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  He 
come.'  All  who  bear  the  Christian  name,  with  very 
few  exceptions,  agree  under  various  forms  in  thus 
bearing  testimony  to  the  fact  that  Christ  died  for 
the  remission  of  sin.  The  Author  is  glad  to  con- 
firm his  feebler  words  by  the  following  extract  from 
a  Sacramental  address  to  students  and  pastors,  by 
his  honoured  friend,  the  President  of  Cheshunt 
College : — 

*  Let  us  take  the  sublime  fact  which  we  com- 
memorate, namely,  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Incarnate 
Word  for  our  sins,  the  Body  broken,  the  Blood 
shed  for  us,  and  shed  for  the  remission  of  our  sins. 
...  If  by  faith  we  grasp  the  unseen  and  eternal 
thing   here   foreshadowed,  we   come   into    direct 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  I39 

contact  with  an  almost  blinding  light.  The  glory 
of  God  in  the  face  of  the  dying  Christ  is  so  un- 
utterably resplendent,  that  only  the  eye  of  faith 
can  bear  it ;  but  if  it  be  indeed  the  glory  of  God, 
then  it  is  the  outflashing  upon  us  of  that  which  is 
eternal,  which  was  before  all  worlds,  is  now,  and 
for  ever.  Infinite  love  and  absolute  righteousness, 
exhaustless  pity  and  consummate  sacrifice,  the  in- 
flexibility of  eternal  law  accepting  the  anomaly  of 
humiliation  and  pain,  the  glorification  of  death  in 
the  agony  of  holy  love,  God  at  His  very  best,  and 
as  He  is  from  eternity  to  eternity,  breaks  on  our 
vision !  The  Lamb  of  God  slain  from  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  the  Lamb  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne,  stands  before  our  inward  eye.  Our 
faith  lays  hold  of  these  when  we  see  Jesus.  These 
outstretched  bleeding  hands,  as  we  look  on  them 
by  faith,  become  the  everlasting  arms,  "  mighty  to 
save."  It  is  this  faith  in  the  unseen  and  eternal 
that  it  is  our  function  to  evoke  by  all  our  ministries, 
of  whatever  kind.  Only  so  far  as  we  call  it  out, 
can  we  fulfil  our  course.  Such  a  mission  is  worth 
living  for,  worth  dying  for  ^.' 

Our  Lord,  vindicating  and  applying  to  Himself 
the  prophecies  of  Messiah  as  dying  for  sin,  com- 
manded His  followers,  saying,  '  Thus  it  is  written, 
and  thus  it  behoved  Christ  to  suffer,  and  that 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached 
in  His  name.'  Obeying  this  injunction,  St.  Peter 
»  Light  and  Peace.    Rev.  H.  R.  Reynolds,  D.D. 


I40  ATONEMENT 

on  the  day  of  Pentecost  exhorted  the  Jews  at 
Jerusalem  to  '  Repent  and  be  baptized  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins.'  St.  Peter 
and  St.  John  uniformly  taught  that  salvation  was 
to  be  obtained  by  faith  in  the  crucified  Saviour ; 
whose  '  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin.'  They  who 
had  habitually  listened  to  the  Great  Teacher  must 
have  known  what  was  the  purpose  of  His  death. 
From  them  St.  Paul  learnt  the  great  truth  he  pro- 
claimed in  his  preaching  and  letters.  The  Atone- 
ment he  taught  must  have  been  the  cherished  fact 
and  doctrine  of  the  early  Church.  The  words  of 
the  Apostles  make  it  clear  that  they  did  believe 
and  teach  that  '  Christ  died  for  our  sins.' 

We  have  seen  that  the  Atonement  professes  to 
relieve  the  conscience  from  guilty  fear,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  encourage  reverence  for  law,  love  to 
God,  and  cheerful  obedience  to  His  will  ;  and  thus 
to  make  us  happy  in  the  present  life  and  hopeful 
for  the  future. 

But  a  Divine  Revelation  should  be  certified  not 
alone  by  credible  testimony  to  supernatural  facts 
and  by  intrinsic  worth,  but  by  experimental  evi- 
dence testing  and  verifying  its  claims.  '  A  tree  is 
known  by  its  fruits.'  Besides  promising,  does  it 
actually  confer  benefits  worthy  of  its  Author  ? 

Any  religion  claiming  to  be  from  God  should 

.  supply  three  great  necessities  of  the  human  soul : — 

/  relief  from  gnil^v  ft^^r ;    power  to  become  good  ; 

Y  and  such  knowledge  of  God  as  will  enable  us  while 


^ 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  141 

reverencing,  to  trust  and  love  Him.  Christianity 
certifies  the  need  and  supplies  it.  The  Atoning 
Sacrifice  emphasizes  the  fact  of  sin  and  the  reason- 
ableness of  guilty  fear ;  while  it  proclaims  full  and 
free  pardon  to  every  penitent,  pardon  is  bestowed  in 
such  a  way  that  while  mercy  is  manifested  Justice 
is  honoured,  while  transgression  of  the  Law  is 
passed  over,  reverence  for  Law  itself  is  strengthened. 
Acceptance  of  this  pardon  is  accompanied  by  the 
supernatural  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  whereby 
the  sinner  is  *  born  again.'  A  new  life  is  imparted, 
so  that  the  sin  forgiven  is  also  hated,  and  holiness 
becomes  the  desire  of  the  heart  and  the  aim  of  life. 
Gratitude  for  pardon  so  obtained  prompts  to  glad 
self- surrender.  The  cost  shows  the  sin  to  be 
exceeding  sinful.  In  the  very  act  of  faith  by  which 
the  burden  of  guilt  is  removed  the  power  of  sin  is 
broken.  Both  Pardon  and  Purity  are  the  result  of 
a  true  acceptance  of  Christ  crucified.  God  is  so 
revealed  to  the  soul  that  instead  of  being  the  object 
of  guilty  terror.  He  is  trusted  and  loved.  He  not 
only  forgives  but  embraces  us  as  children,  and 
gives  us  '  the  Spirit  of  Adoption,  whereby  we  cry, 
Abba,  Father ! ' 

We  now  contemplate  the  human  life  of  Christ  as 
a  revelation  of  Himself.  Jesus  said,  '  The  Father 
that  dwelleth  within  Me  He  doeth  the  works.' 
When  Jesus  folded  little  children  in  His  arms, 
touched  the  leper,  absolved  the  penitent,  wept  at 
the  grave.  He  was  revealing  to  us  God.     '  He  that 


I4»  ATONEMENT 

hath  seen  Me  hath  seen  the  Father.'  He  is  no 
longer  to  us  Unknown  and  Unknowable.  We  see 
His  glory  in  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  adore 
the  holiness  and  justice  vindicated  on  the  cross, 
while  rejoicing  in  the  forgiveness  so  freely  bestowed  : 
sin  is  made  hateful  by  our  receiving  the  amnesty : 
the  conscience,  freed  from  the  crushing  burden  of 
guilt,  soars  upward  to  the  heaven  of  holiness  and 
love :  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus,  we  '  rejoice 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.' 

No  other  religion  and  no  philosophy  thus  recog- 
nises and  supplies  what  our  consciousness  testifies 
to  be  the  three  great  necessities  of  the  soul.  The 
Atonement  does  offer  peace  by  pardon,  purity  by 
the  motives  such  pardon  inspires,  and  a  knowledge 
of  God  which  produces  peace  and  love.  But  does 
reception  of  this  truth  actually  produce  such  results  ? 
They  are  the  logical  and  moral  inference,  but  do 
facts  verify  the  theory  ?  Faith  is  not  a  mere  dogma 
accredited,  but  a  new  life  experienced.  We  know 
the  truth  by  evidence  stronger  than  logic,  or 
criticism,  or  testimony,  or  miracle.  We  have  the 
witness  in  ourselves.  '  We  know  we  have  passed 
from  death  unto  life,'  *  We  know  Him  whom  we 
have  believed.' 

Condemned  by  conscience  as  well  as  by  Scripture, 
guilty  fear  prompts  the  question,  '  What  must  I  do 
to  be  saved  ? '  Are  we  told  to  amend  our  hearts 
and  lives?  The  effort  reveals  more  clearly  the 
deadly  evil.     We  learn  the  rancour  of  the  disease 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  1 43 

by  our  ineffectual  efforts  to  cure  it.  Actions  with- 
out a  pure  motive  cannot  avail,  and  this  needs  a 
pure  heart.  How  can  we  create  it?  How  trust 
and  lovingly  obey  a  God  we  reasonably  dread  ? 
How  by  mere  self-resolve  change  tendencies  long 
indulged,  and  break  habits  perseveringly  strength- 
ened? Even  were  I  henceforth  to  perform  all 
duties  aright,  payment  of  a  present  liability  cannot 
cancel  a  debt  incurred  in  the  past. 

I  may  be  told  that  these  fears  are  nursery  fables, 
or  superstitious  dreams.  But  they  will  not  be 
silenced.  When  I  think  I  have  driven  them  away, 
they  return  like  a  swarm  of  gnats.  Other  com- 
forters advise  me  to  find  peace  in  the  service  of 
Humanity,  and  I  diligently  pile  up  a  barrier  of  good 
works  to  shut  off  the  spectre.  But  it  thrusts  its 
threatening  finger  through  the  heap  and  says,  '  I 
will  meet  thee  at  the  judgment.'  On  a  granite 
rock  I  see  deeply  inscribed  the  record  of  my  sin. 
What  must  I  do  to  hide  it  from  my  distressed 
vision?  I  cover  it  with  cement,  on  which  to  in- 
scribe the  record  of  my  virtues.  But  the  frost 
and  the  storm  break  off  the  thin  coating,  and  the 
record  of  guilt  is  again  revealed  clearly  cut  as  before. 
What  must  I  do  ? 

I  am  directed  to  Christ  as  a  perfect  example  of 
righteousness.  But  how  can  the  obedience  of  an- 
other atone  for  my  disobedience?  It  appals  me 
by  the  contrast !  I  recognise  it  as  the  true-^ideal. 
That  is  what  I  ought  to  be — what  I  never  have 


144  ATONEMENT 

been — what  I  never  can  become — wretch  that  I 
am — '  who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  death  ?  ' 

But  when  I  am  told  that  He  obeyed  on  my 
behalf,  that  His  perfect  righteousness  was  to  honour 
the  Law  I  had  broken ;  that  He  paid  my  debt,  and 
died  that  I  might  live — then  my  burden  falls  off. 
I  am  roused  from  my  despair,  and  I  rejoice  in  par- 
doning  mercy.  Forgiveness  breaks  my  fetters  so 
that  I  am  able  to  serve :  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
prompts  me  to  serve;  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
strengthens  me  in  service,  by  the  animating  motive 
of  love  to  my  Deliverer.  The  Atonement  causes 
me  to  honour  my  own  nature,  for  which  so  great  a 
work  was  accomplished,  and  also  to  honour  my 
fellow-men  of  every  condition,  for  whom  equally 
such  price  was  paid. 

This  is  no  fiction — it  is  absolute  fact,  experienced 
at  the  present  hour  by  people  of  all  conditions  and 
all  nations.  It  is  not  a  statement  of  what  ought  to 
follow  such  beliefs,  but  what  is  the  absolute  con- 
scious condition  of  the  soul,  and  the  actual  character 
of  believers.  What  is  it  that  gives  the  anxious 
sinner  peace — that  calms  his  fears,  kindles  his  love, 
animates  his  hope  ?  *  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
cleanseth  from  all  sin ! '  What  is  it  that  nerves  him 
in  the  battle  with  temptation,  that  girds  him  with 
strength  as  he  climbs  the  rugged  path  of  obedience, 
that  sustains  his  constancy  in  the  furnace  of  afflic- 
tion ?  *  He  loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me ! ' 
What  is  the  chief  motive  to  self-sacrifice  in  those 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  I45 

who  most  diligently  labour  for  God  and  their  fellow- 
men  ?  *  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.'  What 
is  it  that  sustains  the  soul  of  the  believer  in  the 
prospect  of  eternity  ?  Be  he  scholar,  peasant,  child ; 
one  whose  life  has  been  unblemished,  or  stained  with 
every  vice ;  the  reply  of  all  will  be  substantially 
the  same — '  He  bare  our  sins  in  His  own  body  on 
the  tree :  and  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost ! ' 
What  has  given  success  to  preaching  at  home, 
and  missions  abroad?     Not  learning,  genius,  elo- 


quence,  however  valuable  such  gifts ;  but  the 
proclamation  of  Christ  crucified  ;  not  the  perfect 
example  which  He  set  us,  but  the  complete  atone- 
ment which  He  made  for  us.  Where  the  terrors  of 
the  law  and  the  praises  of  virtue  alike  have  failed — 
Christ  crucified,  the  embodiment  and  expression  of 
Divine  love,  the  tangible  and  priceless  ransom  which 
reveals  both  the  depth  of  our  guilt  and  the  measure 
of  that  mercy  which  fathoms  it — Christ  crucified, 
the  all-sufficient  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  a  guilty 
world — has  softened  the  obdurate,  and  humbled  the 
proud,  and  encouraged  the  desponding,  and  turned 
from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God,  a  multitude  that  no  man  can  number,  out 
of  every  kindred,  and  people,  and  nation. 

In  confirmation  of  consciousness  bearing  witness 
to  the  Atonement,  the  Author  again  avails  himself 
of  the  words  of  others. 

'The  world  is  weary  with  its  cumbrous  and 
futile  methods  of  obtaining  deliverance  from  sin. 

K 


146  ATONEMENT 

.  .  .  The  fear  of  men  is  not  hushed  by  being  told 
that  they  should  be  virtuous  and  calm,  that  evil  is 
an  accident,  and  responsibility  a  dream.  .  .  .  The 
sin  of  the  world  presses  upon  conscience  as  a  fault ; 
hence  its  awful  burden.  From  this  springs  the 
whole  history  of  sacrifices  and  atonements.  If  sin 
is  to  be  taken  away  from  the  world,  the  twofold 
process  of  redemption  and  renewal  must  be  involved 
in  the  act.  The  conscience  must  be  assured  that 
the  law  has  not  been  trifled  with ;  that  it  is  safe 
and  right  to  believe  that  God  is  ready  to  forgive  ; 
that  Holy  Love  is  at  the  heart  of  the  universe  \ 
that  Grace  will  reign  through  righteousness  unto 
eternal  life.  But  more  than  this — the  sin  itself,  as 
well  as  its  natural  consequences,  must  be  expelled. 
There  must  be  the  new  life,  as  well  as  the  new 
relationship  with  God^.' 

'  A  feeling  that  man  cannot  make  satisfaction  to 
God  for  his  own  sin  .  .  .  is  at  the  root  of  all  the 
penances  practised  by  heathen  and  Christian  alike. 
Nothing  can  satisfy  but  the  feeling  that  a  Saviour 
has  come  who  has  discharged  the  debt  no  man  was 
ever  able  to  pay.  It  is  this  doctrine  of  Satisfaction 
that  is  the  strength  of  Christianity.  ...  A  man  has 
not  to  address  himselt  to  the  hopeless  task  of  clear- 
ing old  scores  before  he  can  regard  himself  as  free. 
He  is  free  already'  (Rev.  J.  J.  Lias,  M.A,). 

A  striking  admission   of  the  testimony  of  the 

'  John  the  Baptist.    Congregational  Union  Lecture,  1874.     By 
Henry  R.  Reynolds,  D.D. 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  147 

experience  of  consciousness  is  given  by  an  eminent 
theologian  who,  though  he  argues  in  favour  of 
Atonement  by  moral  influence,  yet  confesses  that 
the  '  Evangelical '  explanation  is  needed  to  secure 
that  influence.  '  Christ  is  good,  beautiful,  wonder- 
ful:  His  disinterested  love  is  a  picture  by  itself; 
His  passion  rends  my  heart.  But  what  is  He  for  ? 
How  shall  He  be  made  to  me  the  salvation  I  want  ? 
One  word — He  IS  MY_Sacrifice — opens  all  to 
me;  and,  beholding  Him  with  all  my  sin  upon 
Him,  I  count  Him  my  offering;  I  come  unto  God 
by  Him,  and  enter  into  the  holiest  by  His  blood. 
.  .  .  We  want  to  use  these  altar-terms  just  as 
freely  as  they  who  accept  the  formula  of  expiation. 
Without  them  we  seem  after  awhile  to  "be  in  a 
Gospel  that  has  no  atmosphere.  Our  very  repent- 
ances are  hampered  by  too  great  subjectivity,  be- 
coming, as  it  were,  a  pulling  at  our  own  shoulders. 
Our  very  prayers  and  thanksgivings  get  muddled  ; 
courage  dies ;  and  so  we  sigh  for  some  altar  whither 
we  may  go  and  just  see  the  fire  burning,  and  the 
smoke  going  up,  and  circle  it  about  with  our 
believing  hymns  ^.' 

Greeks  may  still  sneer  at  the  Gospel  as  *  foolish- 
ness,' and  Jews  may  still  demand  'signs,'  but 
'  Christ  crucified '  is  increasingly  proved  to  be  the 
'  Wisdom  of  God,  and  the  Power  of  God.'  If  it  be 
wisdom  to  seek  the  best  ends  by  the  best  means, 

'  Vicarious  Sacrifice,  Dr.  Bushnell.  The  Atonement,  "Dt.  Craw- 
ford, p.  377. 

K  % 


148  ATONEMENT 

then  the  Gospel,  producing  righteousness  and  hap- 
piness wherever  it  is  embraced,  is  'wiser  than  men': 
and  however  condemned  as  '  weakness,'  is  '  stronger 
than  men.'  The  word  is  ever  being. confirmed  by 
'signs  following.'  To  the  Jews  the  great  miracles 
of  Moses  were  signs :  but  the  deliverance  of  the 
soul  from  worse  than  Egyptian  bondage, — the 
opening  of  the  way  of  salvation  through  impedi- 
ments more  threatening  than  the  Red  Sea;  the 
bursting  forth  of  the  waters  of  repentance  from 
the  flinty  heart ;  the  writing  of  the  Law  of  Love 
on  the  soul  of  every  believer ;  and  grace  to  press 
onward  in  spite  of  surrounding  foes,  in  the  assured 
presence  of  the  Angel  of  Jehovah,  to  win  the 
heavenly  inheritance — these  are  signs  more  im- 
portant, more  numerous,  constantly  occurring  in  our 
own  day,  before  our  own  eyes.  The  miracles  of 
Christ  were  mighty  signs  ;  but  the  realities  signified 
surpass  the  types — the  spiritually  blind  who  see, 
the  deaf  who  hear,  the  lame  who  run  in  the  way  of 
God's  commandments,  the  dead  in  sins  who  are 
quickened  to  a  new  life,  not  to  return  to  the  grave, 
as  Lazarus,  but  who,  believing  in  Christ,  shall  never 
die — these  bear  living  witness. 

The  miracles  of  which  Jesus  said, '  Greater  works 
than  these  shall  ye  do,*  are  being  done  wherever 
Christ  crucified  is  faithfully  preached.  These 
moral  transformations,  varied  and  countless,  can  be 
explained  only  by  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  and  the 
Spirit  of  God. 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  149 

This  self-evidencing  power  of  the  Atonement  is 
limited  by  no  geographical  boundary,  ethnological 
peculiarities,  social  distinctions,  or  intellectual 
qualifications.  Children  and  parents,  youth  and 
age,  peasants  and  philosophers/ paupers  and  princes, 
savage  and  civilised,  black  man  and  white, '  Jew  and 
Greek,  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  and  free,'  now,  as 
at  the  first,  everywhere,  continually  bear  witness. 

'  Christ  crucified  '  is  the  true  glory  of  preaching. 
Learning,  logic,  rhetoric,  wit,  fancy,  without  the 
Gospel,  are  but  '  sounding  brass  or  a  clanging 
cymbal.'  They  may  attract  crowds,  win  popu- 
larity, achieve  what  worldliness  deems  success,  but 
do  not  of  themselves  constitute  Gospel-preaching. 
Discourses  without  salvation  by  the  cross  may  be 
brilliant  orations  or  interesting  lectures,  but  are  not 
sermons  at  all.  Would  that  to  the  pulpit  more  of 
such  intellectual  gifts  were  consecrated ;  but  the 
pulpit  with  these  alone  might  have  Ichabod  in- 
scribed on  it.  The  least  cultured  evangelist  who 
lovingly  proclaims  the  Saviour  to  perishing  souls  is 
a  greater  preacher  than  the  most  accomplished 
scholar  or  orator  whose  great  aim  is  not  to  pro- 
claim a  crucified  Christ  to  perishing  souls.  Oh,  that 
of  all  who  occupy  the  position  of  teachers  in  all 
Churches,  it  might  be  said,  that  they  *  preach  Christ 
crucified ' ! 

As  we  began  so  we  close  with  referring  to  the 
first  Missionary  to  Europe  of  this  Gospel.  Christ 
was  the  Author  of  it,  the  eleven  disciples  the  first 


15©  ATONEMENT 

proclaimers  of  it,  St.  Paul  its  chief  expounder  and 
preacher.  It  gave  offence  both  to  Jews  and  Greeks. 
It  meant  defeat — the  capture  and  death  of  its  Leader. 
It  meant  condemnation — for  He  was  charged  with 
being  an  impostor,  a  blasphemer,  a  revolutionist. 
It  meant  a  Leader  disgraced — by  a  felon's  death, 
public  scourging,  the  ruffianly  insults  of  priests, 
soldiers,  and  people,  and  the  sharing  the  gallows 
with  robbers  and  murderers.  The  cross  was  to 
Greeks  foolishness,  and  also  to  Jews,  to  whom  it 
was  specially  a  stumbling-block,  because  it  con- 
tradicted their  ideas  of  the  Messiah,  and  set  at 
nought  their  exclusive  traditions.  They  prided  them- 
selves on  being  alone  the  favoured  people  of  God, 
with  signs  and  privileges  none  others  might  share. 

They  gloried  in  the  Law  of  Moses.  Those  who 
might  have  accepted  the  Gospel  if  preached  only  to 
Jews,  and  on  condition  that  all  Christian  converts 
should  adopt  Judaism,  persecuted  it  when  pro- 
claimed to  Gentiles  without  such  limitations.  Had 
St.  Paul  submitted  to  their  demands,  in  order  '  to 
make  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh,'  he  would  have  calmed 
the  jealous  anger  of  the  Jews  and  gained  their 
applause.  But  nothing  could  induce  him  to  make 
so  base  a  surrender.  Others  might  glory  in  cere- 
monial and  bodily  marks,  but  he  would  glory  only 
in  the  cross.  However  much  assailed  by  philo- 
sophical criticism,  or  ecclesiastical  bigotry,  or  vulgar 
abuse,  he  would  not  hide,  but  proclaim  it,  not 
apologise  for,  but  extol  it,  not  explain  it  away,  but 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  151 

enforce  it ;  not  accommodate  it  to  human  philo- 
sophy, but  demand  for  it  Divine  authority.  It  was 
not  for  him  to  conciliate  critics,  but  to  testify  truth, 
not  to  please,  but  save  the  world.  Therefore  instead 
of  whispering  it  he  proclaimed  it  with  trumpet-blast ; 
instead  of  apologising  for  it  he  extolled  it,  he  gloried 
in  it,  chiefly  gloried  in  it,  solely  gloried  in  it ;  '  God 
forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.' 

And  why?  He  appealed  to  his  own  experience 
in  what  it  had  enabled  him  to  do  in  conquering  the 
enemies  of  his  soul.  He  did  indeed  glory  in  it  as 
revealing  the  righteousness  and  love  of  God,  the 
very  shame  of  it  emphasizing  that  love ;  and  he 
gloried  in  it  for  all  the  truths  it  taught,  and  in  the 
full  salvation  it  promised.  But  he  gloried  in  it 
because  he  himself  had  proved  all  this  to  be  true  in 
his  own  experience  and  history,  saying,  'Through 
which  the  world  hath  been  crucified  unto  me,  and  I 
unto  the  world.' 

By  the  cross  of  Christ,  by  Christ  crucified,  the 
world  had  become  to  him  as  a  man  nailed  to  a 
cross,  doomed,  dying,  worthless,  practically  dead. 
The  world,  whether  praising,  blaming,  hating,  was 
nothing  to  him.  And  by  the  cross  he  himself 
was  to  the  world  as  one  crucified,  the  world  looking 
on  him  with  contempt  and  scorn.  So  each  regarded 
the  other,  the  Apostle  neither  caring  for  the  world, 
nor  the  world  for  him  ;  he  dead  to  it  all,  as  it  was 
dead  to  him.      In   other  words,  he  was  delivered 


I5»  ATONEMENT 

from  the  snares  and  temptations  of  the  world,  and 
indifferent  to  its  opinion,  frown,  contempt,  and 
hatred.  Sin  and  self  '  no  longer  reigned  in  his 
mortal  body.'  He  had  'mortified,'  put  to  death, 
corrupt  inclinations  and  indulgence.  He  was 
'crucified  with  Christ'  From  his  own  experience 
of  the  sanctifying  power  of  the  cross  he  appeals 
to  all  who  truly  believe,  *  They  that  are  of  Christ 
have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  passions  and  lusts 
thereof ; '  they  share  with  Him  both  in  death  and 
resurrection ;  '  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  was 
crucified  with  Him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be 
done  away,  that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin. 
Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  unto 
sin,  but  alive  unto  God  in  Christ  Jesus '  (Rom.  vi. 
i-ii;  viii.  13  ;  Gal.  ii,  30  ;  v.  34  ;  vi.  14 ;  Col.  iii.  5). 

The  highest  aim  of  a  believer  is  to  conquer  sin. 
'  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even 
our  faith,'  Beholding  the  love  of  God  in  the  cross, 
contemplating  Christ  dying  for  our  sins,  and  through 
that  Atoning  Sacrifice  living  for  ever  as  our  Medi- 
ator, this  abiding,  realising  faith  will  overpower  the 
world,  whether  it  frowns  or  smiles,  and  enable  us 
to  sing,  '  Thanks  be  unto  God,  who  giveth  us  the 
victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Must  we 
not  glory  in  this  emancipation  ?  Glory  in  that  which 
sets  us  free  from  the  world's  debasing  bondage? 
Glory  therefore  in  the  cross  which  crucifies  the 
world  ? 

Christ  by  the  cross,  having  '  forgiven  us  all  tres- 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  1$$ 

passes,'  has  *  quickened  us  together  with  Him'  ;  by 
the  cross  He  annulled  the  galling  requirements  of 
legality,  and  the  heavy  burden  of  guilt  and  penalty; 
*  blotting  out  the  bond  of  ordinances  that  was 
against  us,  nailing  it  to  the  cross ' ;  He  took  the 
record  of  our  debt,  discharged  it,  and  nailed  it  to 
the  cross  ;  He  took  the  sentence  of  our  condemna- 
tion and  nailed  it  to  the  cross,  as  undergone  by 
Himself,  and  no  longer  valid  against  us ;  He  took 
our  old  nature  and  nailed  it  there,  no  longer  to  rule 
over  us,  but  put  to  death  ;  '  and  having  spoiled 
principalities  and  powers,  He  made  a  show  of  them 
openly,  triumphing  over  them  in  it,'  on  that  very 
cross  of  which  some  are  ashamed.'  We  will  there- 
fore glory  in  it,  adorned  as  it  is  with  trophiq^  of 
victory  over  the  powers  of  darkness,  with  records 
of  the  salvation  of  countless  multitudes  in  heaven 
and  of  other  multitudes  on  their  way  thither  sing- 
ing, '  O  cross,  my  only  hope  ! '  Earthly  conquerors 
returning  in  triumph  have  gloried  in  the  captives 
they  have  taken,  the  spoils  they  have  won  ;  and 
orators,  poets,  historians,  have  perpetuated  their 
praise ;  but  how  contemptible  all  such  triumphs 
compared  with  that  of  the  cross,  whereby  Christ 
overcame  sin,  death,  and  hell !  Had  Christ  come 
robed  with  sunbeams,  encircled  with  the  rainbow, 
heralded  with  thunders,  attended  by  twelve  legions 
of  angels  to  the  great  battle — this  would  have  been 
glorious,  *  but  to  destroy  death  by  dying,  this  is 
the  glory  of  glories.' 


154  ATONEMENT 

Shall  we  be  ashamed  of  the  battle-field  where 
such  a  victory  was  won,  and  such  immortal  benefits 
obtained  ?  Were  Spartans  ashamed  of  Xh£xaii2fiidae, 
or  Athenians  of  Marathon,  or  Scots  of  Bannockburn, 
and  shall  those  redeemed  from  the  debasing  tyranny 
of  sin  be  ashamed  of  the  cross?  It  is  the  con- 
queror's chariot,  it  is  the  Redeemer's  throne,  it  is 
the  pledge  of  salvation.  The  grave  of  the  Cruci- 
fied is  the  gateway  of  glory,  the  death  on  the  cross 
is  the  anthem  of  the  heavenly  host.  '  Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  was  slain.' 

No  wonder  that  the  Apostles,  fresh  from  listening 
to  the  words  and  witnessing  the  sufferings  of  Christ, 
and  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  bore  such  testi- 
mony !  No  wonder  they  counted  it  all  joy  to  suffer 
in  proclaiming  to  all  men  that  '  In  Him  we  have 
redemption  through  His  blood,  even  the  forgiveness 
of  sins.'  No  wonder  that  instead  of  hiding,  dis- 
guising, apologising  for  this  doctrine  of  the  cross, 
they  triumphed  in  it,  saying  with  St.  Paul,  *  God 
forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  No  wonder  that  the  Church 
of  Christ  still  builds  on  it  as  its  one  foundation, 
that  penitents  cling  to  it,  that  Zion's  pilgrims  chant 
it  on  their  way  to  the  celestial  city. 

If  in  heaven  saints  and  angels  celebrate  the  glory 
of  the  cross  in  their  anthem,  '  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain,'  we  will  glory  in  it  on  our  way  to 
join  them.  We  will  anticipate  the  song  of  heaven. 
We  will  make  the  desert  and  the  valley  ring  with 


THE  WITNESS  OF  EXPERIENCE  155 

the  same  Hallelujah.  Each  successive  hill  we 
climb  shall  fling  forward  the  strain.  And  as  we 
sometimes  by  faith  catch  a  note  or  two  of  their 
triumphant  chorus,  they,  in  the  pauses  of  their 
anthem,  shall  catch  a  feeble  echo  of  it  from  pilgrim 
bands  below,  as  they  'join  their  cheerful  songs'  with 
those  that  rise  around  the  throne,  '  For  He  was 
slain  for  us! 

The  general  experience  of  believers  in  all  ages 
bears  testimony  to  the  truth  of  Forgiveness  through 
the  Death  of  Christ.  Whatever  the  varieties  of 
ecclesiastical  government,  of  external  ceremonial, 
of  theological  theory,  throughout  the  centuries  since 
the  great  Sacrifice  was  offered,  there  has  been 
essentially  one  confession  by  all  who  have  embraced 
the  Gospel.  The  testimonies  of  martyrs,  the  ancient 
liturgies  and  hymns  of  the  Church,  the  utterances 
of  the  godly  of  all  denominations,  the  unspoken 
emotions  of  human  souls  and  the  gathered  voices 
of  the  great  congregation,  have  shown  that  the 
Church  of  Christ  is  One  in  reliance  for  Salvation 
on  Him  alone  who  '  tasted  death  for  every  man.' 

'When  Thou  hadst  overcome  the  sharpness  of 
death.  Thou  didst  open  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  to 
all  believers.  Thou  sittest  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  in  the  Glory  of  the  Father.  We  therefore 
pray  Thee  help  Thy  servants,  whom  Thou  hast 
redeemed  with  Thy  precious  blood.  O  Lord  God, 
Lamb  of  God,  Son  of  the  Father,  that  takest  away 
the  sin  of  the  world,  have  mercy  upon  us.     Unto 


156  ATONEMENT 

Him  that  loveth  us,  and  loosed  us  from  our  sins 
by  His  blood,  be  the  glory  and  the  dominion,  for 
ever  and  ever.  For  Thou  wast  slain,  and  hast 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  Thy  blood,  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation. 
Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive 
power  and  riches,  and  wisdom  and  strength,  and 
honour  and  glory,  and  blessing.' 


INDEX 


Apostles,  the,  witness  of,  77. 
Atonement,   the,    more   than   a 
moral  influence,  14. 
an  essential  fact,  15. 
witness  of  Jewish  sacrifices  to, 

18. 
of  prophecy  to,  23. 
of  John  the  Baptist,  28. 
witness  of  the  words  of  Jesus, 

33- 
the  sufferings  of  Jesus,  39. 
witness  of  Peter,  48. 
of  John,  51. 
of  James,  58. 

of  Paul,  61,  149,  150,  154. 
witness  of  the  Epistles  to  the 

Corinthians,  63. 
Romans,  66. 
Galatians,  67. 
Ephesians,  67. 
Philippians,  68. 
Colossians,  68. 
Thessalonians,  69. 
to  Timothy,  69. 
to  Titus,  69. 
to  the  Hebrews,  7a. 


Atonement,  the,  witness  of  the 
Apostles  as  a  whole,  77. 

development  of  the  doctrine,  79. 

theory  of,  83. 

purpose  of,  89. 

misrepresentations  and  objec- 
tions to,  92. 

a  power  for  purity,  I  a  I. 

witness  of  experience  to,  137. 

of  the  Old  Testament,  1 37. 

of  Christ,  138. 

of  the  Apostles,  149,  154. 

of  Angels,  154. 

of  general  experience  of  be- 
lievers, 155. 

Baxter,  quoted,  1 16. 
Bushnell,  Dr.,  quoted,  147. 

Calvin,  quoted,  116. 
Candlish,  Dr.,  quoted,  134. 
Caricature  of  the  cross,  1 1. 
Cave,  Dr.,  quoted,  ao. 
Chalmers,  Dr.,  quoted,  116. 
Christ,  witness  of  the  words  ol^ 
33> 


158 


INDEX 


Christ,  witness  of  the  sufferings 
of,  39- 
death  of,  not  alone  a  naoral  in- 
fluence, 92. 

Chrysostom,  quoted,  116. 

Colossians,  Epistle  to,   quoted, 
68. 

Communion  Service,  quoted,  82. 

Corinthians,  Epistles  to,  quoted, 

63. 
Crawford,  quoted,  30,   36,  43, 
100. 

Dale,  Dr.,  quoted,  15,  33,  47, 

53.  59.  71.  77.  90- 
Development  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  Atonement,  79. 

Ephesians,  Epistle  to,  quoted,  67. 
Experience,  witness  o^  137. 

Galatians,  Epistle  to,  quoted,  67. 
God  not  angry,  93. 
Gratitude,  effects  of,  124. 
Greeks,  the  cross  foolishness  to 
the,  10. 

Hebrews,  Epistle  to  the,  quoted, 

72. 
Howe,  quoted,  116. 

Isaiah,  witness  o^  35. 

James,  witness  of,  58. 

Jesus,  see  Christ 

Jewish  sacrifices,  witness  of,  18. 

Jews  require  a  sign,  10. 

John,  witness  of,  51. 

John  the  Baptist,  witless  of,  38. 

Justification,  130. 

lias,  quoted,  103,  146. 


Lord's  Supper,  institution  of,  35. 
Lynch,  quoted,  87. 

Magee,  Bishop,  qnoted,  80,  84, 

90.  105- 
Mellor,  Dr.,  quoted,  17, 81, 136, 
Moses,  witness  of,  24. 

Objections  to  the  Atonement : 
Christ's  death  only  a  moral 

influence,  92. 
represents  God  as  angry,  93. 
represents  Christ  as  appeasing 

wrath  of  God,  96. 
represents  God  as  less  merciful 

than  men,  98. 
represents  God  as  unjust,  99. 
that  Christ   only  sufi'ered   to 

show  Divine  love,  103. 
inconsistent  with  the  immuta- 
bility of  God,  105. 
arranges     Divine      attributes 

against  each  other,  107. 
represents  Christ  as  punished, 

108. 
involves  a  '  legal  fiction,*  109. 
abrogates  connexion  between 

sin  and  death,  no. 
the  sin  of  Adam  could  not  be 

atoned  by  another  sin,  110. 
the  penalty  due  from  sinners 

cannot  be  borne  by  Christ, 

III. 
implies  failure  in  the  case  of 

those  who  perish,  112. 
it  is  said  to  be  limited  in  its 

application,  113. 
made  to    rest   on  a  distinct 

event,  117. 
said  to  encourage  sin,  1 20. 
Offence  of  the  cross,  the,  9. 


INDEX  159 

Paul,  witness  of,  61,  135.  Sanctification,  130. 

Peter,  witness  of,  48.  Scott,  quoted,  n6. 

Philippians,  Epistle  to,  quoted,  Spirit,  gift  of  the,  laa. 

68. 

Propitiation,  the,  53.  Theory  of  the  Atonement,  83. 

Psalms,  the,  witness  of,  25.  Thessalonians,      Epistles      to, 
Punishment,  the  purpose  of,  86.  quoted,  69. 

Purity,  the  Atonement  a  power  Timothy,    Epistles   to,    quoted, 

for,  121,  69. 

Purpose  of  the  Atonement,  89.  Titus,  Epistle  to,  quoted,  69. 

Reynolds,  Dr.,  quoted,  31,  138,  Wardlaw,  Dr.,  quoted,  81,  107, 

US-  116. 

Romans,  Epistle  to,  quoted,  66, 

1 25.  Zechariah,  witness  of,  35. 


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